Little Death
by WakeUpSunshine
Summary: RT SS They were supposed to be invincible but Ryan knew that nothing in life was permanent. Now he knew Sandy and Kirsten Cohen weren’t either.
1. Chapter 1

**Just want to say that I love Sandy and Kirsten but with that said I wanted to explore how Ryan would deal with their death. How he would deal with raising a seven year old Sophie which is what this story is about. It's RT and SS of course. **

Today was the reading of their will. Ryan Atwood hadn't seen this day coming, at least not yet anyway. He had a comfortable life lately. He was married to the love of his life with a son on the way. Then this happened. Now they were gone and a lawyer was standing in front of him reading off of a document that Ryan hadn't wanted to hear for years to come. They were supposed to be invincible but Ryan knew that nothing in life was permanent. Now he knew Sandy and Kirsten Cohen weren't either.

He was barely listening when his wife gripped at his hand. He heard her gasp and then he saw the looks on everyone's face. His first thought was to panic, even if he didn't know what they were all freaking out about. Seth was glaring. Seth never glared at him. This glare frightened Ryan. Then his brother stood up and started pacing the room with his hand massaging his temple. "What's going on?" Ryan was able to speak out. Everyone was still gawking at him. "Why is everyone freaking out? What did he just say?"

"Why would they leave her to him?! He's not even her biological brother!" Ryan furrowed his brow. Now he really wished he had listened to the lawyer.

"Calm down, Mr. Cohen. I'm only telling you exactly what your parents have written here." The fancy lawyer spoke up. Ryan's wife gripped his hand tighter before looking into his eyes.

"Sophie's our responsibility now." She whispered as tears stained her delicate cheeks. Ryan froze. The Cohen's left Sophie to him? He wanted to know why they would do a thing like that. He wanted to know why they hadn't left her to Seth but most of all he wanted to know why they left at all. How could they leave a seven year old girl? How could they just leave their family like this?

It wasn't their choice to leave their family like this. The drunk driver who had hit their vehicle made that choice for them. He took them away from their children, away from their innocent daughter. Ryan didn't even know they had written a will and he definitely didn't know they would leave their daughter to him.

"Ryan…did you hear me?" Taylor pulled herself closer to him. Taylor. His wife. The woman who was there for him constantly. The woman who was having his son. The woman who was going to help him through all this. He just hoped she'd stick around after everything that was going to happen to them.

"They…why me?" He asked her hoping she'd have an answer for him. She didn't though. She was just as shocked as he had been.

Ryan wasn't even close to being prepared for this.

"I can't believe this…" Seth was beyond pissed off. Ryan was about to tell him that if he thought Sophie would be better in his care than he could take her but then he thought back to the Cohen's. If they had picked him and Taylor to take Sophie then he couldn't back down from that. The two of them had good judgment and they wouldn't make this choice if they hadn't thought about it long an hard.

"I'm sorry, Seth." Ryan croaked out. He really was sorry.

"It's not your fault…I just don't understand." The curly haired man stood in front of his brother looking like he was going to be sick.

"Me either." Ryan told him truthfully. He really wished he could understand. That's when the lawyer told them that the Cohen's had left letter's to each of their sons and one to Sophie for when she was older.

Ryan quickly opened the envelope. Taylor looked over his shoulder as he read the Cohen's words. He instantly recognized the handwriting. It was Kirsten's.

_Dear Ryan (and probably Taylor because she's attached at your hip and if I know her then she's reading this),_

_If you're reading this then Sandy and I are no longer around. If you're reading this I need you to understand we love you. We love you like you're our own, even if you weren't born to us naturally we never saw you as anything other than our son. _

_Now I have a large feeling that you're freaking out about what our lawyer is reading to you off of our will. It had taken us so long to figure out who we would leave Sophie Rose to if we had passed before she was 18. We alternated between you and Seth plenty of times. We know we chose the right person for taking care of our angel. While we love Seth, we know you'll understand how hard this is going to be for our young daughter. We chose you because you're strong and you can get threw this, and you'll help Sophie get threw all of this. You and Seth both are probably still trying to figure out our reasons for leaving Sophie with you and Taylor. We wish we knew exactly but we don't. All we know is we see it best in our hearts that she goes to you._

_With that said, I must tell you our Berkeley home is all yours if you want it but we wouldn't blame you if you couldn't stay there._

_We want you to remind Sophie of us everyday. Make sure she never forgets that her mommy and daddy loved her very much. Tell her we didn't leave her to be mean or hurtful. Make sure she knows that one day she'll see us again. _

_Sandy and I trust you, Ryan (and Taylor), we trust the both of us enough to know you won't let us down._

_Sometimes I wonder how I could have even thought about not letting you stay with us in the beginning. I can't picture my life now without you being in it. Thank you, Ryan for everything. _

_We love you, Ryan._

_Good luck with life, son._

_Love,_

_Sandy and Kirsten._


	2. Chapter 2

**Sorry about the 'threw' 'through' mistake in the first chapter, thank you for pointing that out to me. Honest mistake. Anyway, thank you for all of your reviews on the first chapter! **

Chapter 2

"So how do we do this?" Taylor Atwood placed her hand on her expanding stomach as she looked from her husband to the child that was sitting in the room next to them. She hadn't been this nervous since she found out she was having a baby. She had come to terms with the pregnancy but this was something totally different. This was taking in a seven year old girl who had just lost her parents.

"If only I knew. Are we ready for this?" Ryan hoped his wife had answers for him. If anyone it was Taylor that could take a hold of this situation but just by looking at her face he realized she was just as clueless as he was. Ryan watched as Sophie played with her dolls while watching a movie on the TV screen in the Cohen's living room.

Just being here was making Ryan feel uneasy. It just didn't feel right without them being there or without them coming home at all.

"She'll move in with us. We have that extra bedroom." Ryan glanced at his wife. He knew this was going to be just as hard for his little sister, if not harder.

"What about the house? What about their things?" Taylor asked him.

"I haven't thought that far…" He tells her.

"Maybe we should discuss this with Sophie." She nods towards the blonde 7 year old.

"Yeah, let's do that." He isn't sure if that's such a good idea either but he doesn't see this happening any other way.

"Wait, what do we say?"

"Wing it?" Truth was he had no idea how to explain this to Sophie. He never wanted to have to explain this to the little girl.

"Sophie…" Taylor waddled her way into the living room pausing in front of the couch glancing at Ryan so he would help her sit down. "Ryan…" She held out her hands. He rushed over to her and gently helped her sit on the soft couch. "Sophie, come here." Taylor patted the spot next to her for the little girl to sit next to her. Sophie sat her doll down as Ryan turned off the TV. "Ryan and I want to talk to you."

"What about?" She asked innocently. Upon hearing the news of her parents death she had chosen to ignore it. She refused to go to the funeral or have anything to do with it. Kaitlin had taken to watching her during the past week.

"Well," Ryan sat down next to Sophie. "You know how your mommy and daddy are no longer here?" He asked. She nodded. "Okay. What would you say about moving in with Taylor and I?"

"I can't do that, silly! Mommy and daddy are only on vacation, they are coming home. Plus you have a baby coming." Sophie giggled. This was going to be harder than Ryan or Taylor had thought.

"Sophie, honey your mommy and daddy aren't coming back." Taylor didn't like that she was the one to say it but she knew Ryan wouldn't be able to say it out loud.

"What do you mean?" It was like she was finally realizing what everyone meant by them not coming back.

"What Taylor means, Sophie, your parents are…they…passed away." He had no idea how he was supposed to explain this to her.

"That's what everyone keeps telling me but mommy and daddy wouldn't leave me. Would they?" She looked at her brother with hopeful eyes. Both Ryan and Taylor were at a loss of words at what to say to this little girl. They weren't prepared for this talk. "Mommy said she'd always be there for me! She didn't leave me!" Sophie screamed with tears running down her small face. She went to get up and run from them but Ryan had been quicker and grabbed her before she could leave the room. He held her close to him in his arms.

"I'm so sorry, Sophie. I'm sorry." He held her as she cried on his shoulder. No one in that small living room had dry eyes, including Ryan.

"So they aren't coming back?" She was able to ask through all of the tears coming from her eyes.

"No, they aren't coming back." Ryan confirmed for her. "But they love you very much, never forget that." He kissed her small cheek. Sophie nodded into his shoulder with tears still running out of her eyes.

Ryan looked over at his wife who was crying just as bad as the seven year old in his arms. He walked over and offered her his hand. She had been having difficulty sitting and standing up for the past week, ever since she had gone into her eighth month of pregnancy. It was a little difficult helping her up with only one hand but they managed. Once on her feet he pulled her close to him or as close as he could get her considering her stomach stopped her from getting too close to him.

"We can do this." Taylor whispered. She was right. They were Ryan and Taylor Atwood, they could do anything. Even this.

-

"That's the last of it." Ryan rested his hands on his hips as the last box was taken from the Cohen's home. Taylor walked over and put her arm around her husbands waist. This had been really difficult for all of them, mostly Sophie who was with Seth and Summer while Ryan dealt with the house. He hadn't wanted this to be any harder on her than it already was.

"I love you, Ryan." Taylor told him confidently. "Seth's not happy with us right now."

"He'll get over it." Ryan said simply as he stared at the empty house in front of him. This didn't feel right at all.

"He's hurt, Ryan. His parents are gone and now his little sister is being yanked away from him."

"I know…Taylor but this was Sandy and Kirsten's choice. We can't let them down…" He tells her.

"You're right, we can't." She said as she clutched herself tighter against him.

-

"Mommy doesn't cut it like that, Taylor." Sophie pointed at the sandwich that Taylor had just made her. Peanut butter and jelly without the crusts. She hadn't specified how she wanted it cut. "She cuts it into triangles not squares." Sophie stared down at the sandwich. Taylor felt defeated. She hadn't done anything right since Sophie had come to live with them. She was trying really hard to make the girl feel comfortable.

"Can't you just eat it like that?" Taylor pleaded with her.

"Nope." She shook her head hopping down off of the stool and stalking out of the kitchen. Taylor walked over to the kitchen table. She sat down in a chair putting her head in her hands. This was becoming a lot harder than she had imagined it would be.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

"She refuses to get dressed." Ryan stepped into the room he shared with Taylor. Taylor looked up from the book she had been reading with a strange expression on her face. It had been two days since they took in Sophie and nothing has gone like they had imagined it.

"What do you mean?" Taylor sat the book down next to her as she tried sitting up in the bed.

"Everything I pick out for her to wear is apparently not something her Mommy or Daddy would make her wear. Taylor, they are the same clothes! Then I told her to pick out the clothes on her own and she told me she couldn't." Ryan fell back on the bed in defeat. This wasn't working out well, at all. "Are we really cut out for this?" Ryan turned his body towards her.

"We have to be. There is no way we can give up on her." She says confidently. Ryan gives her a smile before leaning across the bed and kissing her on the lips.

"So, how's my little guy?" Ryan asks putting both of his hands on Taylor's round stomach.

"He hasn't stopped kicking since I woke up." She frowns as she feels another kick to her bladder.

"Ryan…" Sophie's small voice travels through the bed room from the doorway. Ryan sits up and smiles at the sad little girl. She hasn't smiled since she moved in with them. The seven year old wasn't taking this well at all, but Ryan knew that no child would take well to their parents dying. He was having a hard time and the Cohen's weren't even his biological parents.

"You got dressed." He smiled opening his arms for her to come to him. She ran and cuddled her body into her brother.

"Yeah…this was Mommy's favorite dress on me." Her voice broke as she spoke.

"It's a very pretty dress, Sophie." Taylor spoke up as she reached out to touch Ryan's hand.

"Thanks." Sophie tells her shyly.

"You're going to be late if you don't go now." Taylor pointed out to her husband. Ryan glanced down at his watch before putting Sophie down. "Seth's probably already there waiting for you."

"You're right. We have to swing by and pick Colton up too." Ryan helped Sophie off of his lap before standing up.

"Oh God, Ryan please do not give him any candy if he's coming over here at all in the next two days." Taylor scrunched up her nose. Colton Atwood was bad enough but with candy or any sort of sugar in his system he was worse. Especially if he was around Ryan.

"I won't." Ryan laughs before leaning over and kissing her lips. He hears Sophie run from the room yelling 'yuck.' "Be careful, got it?" He tells her sternly. Taylor rolls her eyes.

"Yes, Daddy." Taylor folded her arms across her chest pouting like a small child.

"I'm sorry." He kisses her nose lightly before turning around to leave.

"I love you." She calls after him.

Ryan turns his head slightly giving her a warm smile. "I love you too." Before walking back out the door he runs back and kisses her stomach. "You too, Caden." He grins.

"He loves you too. Now, go!" She urges him to leave.

-

"So, how's everything going with Sophie?" Seth asked his brother. The two of them were standing in line to get ice cream after the movie they had just taken the kids to. Ryan looked back at the table Sophie was sitting at with Colton and Delaney, Seth and Summer's 2 year old daughter. Sophie wasn't paying attention to either of them as she played with her small hands in her lap. Ryan felt for the kid.

"Honestly? I don't know really. Every time Taylor or I try to do something for her she tells us it's not right…she rarely has dry eyes. I don't know what to do…" Ryan ran his hand over his face as they got closer to the counter.

"I know when I found out about Mom and Dad leaving Sophie to you I freaked out but honestly, Ryan I think they chose the right person. Whenever you need help you know Summer and I are always here."

"Thanks, Seth." Ryan gave him a smile.

-

"So, how's things with Sophie going?" Summer was sitting at the edge of Taylor and Ryan's bed with a bottle of nail polish in her hands. Taylor had been complaining that she couldn't reach her toes and she didn't want to walk around with messed up looking toenails, so Summer took the job in painting them for her.

"They could be better. She misses her parents, I don't blame her. I miss them too…" Taylor flipped through the glossy pages of the magazine in her hands.

"Me too. Taylor, do you think we'll ever be as good as parents as they were?" Summer asked seriously. Taylor put the magazine down before smiling at her best friend.

"I don't know, all we can do is try." Taylor told her honestly. Sure, Sandy and Kirsten made their mistakes in parents but they were amazing parents none-the-less.

Suddenly Taylor felt a strange jolt go through her body. This wasn't a kick, it felt completely different. Even though Taylor had told Ryan she was ready to have a baby, she really wasn't. She wasn't sure how to handle him or what to do when he cried. She hadn't been around when Sophie or Colton were baby's. They were almost four when she returned from Paris.

This baby had been a huge surprise. Ryan and Taylor both decided that they would wait five or six years before starting a family. It's only been two years since they married in the backyard of Sandy and Kirsten's home. It's only been two years since they married in the backyard of Sandy and Kirsten's home that they found out that Taylor was indeed pregnant. It had taken Taylor months to come to terms with the pregnancy. Ryan had been the one to suggest waiting awhile before starting a family so it seemed a bit odd to Taylor how excited he got when he found out she was pregnant. She knew she always wanted a family, especially one with Ryan, but she still wasn't sure if this was the right time for that.

Taylor shut her eyes tightly and realized that there was no stopping this baby from coming. She wished she could just squeeze her legs shut and maybe the baby would just stay up there until she was ready for him. No, he didn't want to do that.

"You okay, Taylor?" Summer asked her after Taylor had jumped a bit in her spot.

"I'm just…having these pains." She shifted uncomfortably.

"Oh my God, please tell me you are not going into labor!" Summer jumped up almost spilling the bottle of nail polish; which she knew Taylor would have scolded her for if she was paying attention.

"I don't know! I've never had a baby before!" Taylor was panicking. "Summer…am I supposed to be bleeding?"


	4. Chapter 4

**Wow, wasn't expecting this chapter to be so easy to write. I wasn't expecting this story to be easy to write, actually, but it is. I am really appreciating all of the reviews I am getting for this story!**

Chapter 4

Taylor needed Kirsten, plain and simple. Kirsten had been there for Taylor since she found out she was pregnant, telling her that this was going to the most amazing experience of her life. It had been Kirsten who changed her mind about the pregnancy.

She had promised Taylor she would be there throughout the whole thing, even in the delivery room when she gave birth. Now, Taylor was scared. She didn't want this, especially since things were now getting more complicated. That's when she started screaming for her dead mother-in-law.

Her husband wasn't sure what to do. The doctors wouldn't let him in the room. They made him go into the waiting room to sit and wait. Summer Cohen sat next to him shaking her leg up and down. "She was calling for Kirsten…" She whispered to her scared brother-in-law. "She said that she didn't want anyone in the delivery room if Kirsten couldn't be there…she said all this on the way to the hospital. Ryan, I can't lose Taylor." She looked up into his eyes.

"What's going on? Is she okay?" Kaitlin Cooper burst into the waiting room to see everyone sitting around. She didn't like the looks on their faces. Ryan didn't say a word to her. He only walked over to his little sister and picked her up. He didn't care that she was getting too old to be carried but he needed to get her out of there. "Where are you going?" Kaitlin asked him.

"Want to take a walk with us?" He asked her. She nodded. "I can't stay in here any longer…" He whispered to her.

Ryan, Sophie and Kaitlin all made their way out of the hospital doors. "How's my munchkin doing?" Kaitlin rubbed Sophie's back. She dug her face deeper into Ryan's neck not wanting Kaitlin to touch her. She didn't want anyone to touch her besides her big brother.

Sophie Cohen was scared. She missed her parents and she didn't want to have to miss Taylor, too. She adored the auburn haired woman.

"She can't leave me…" Ryan said just above a whisper to the two girls he considered sisters. Kaitlin had become his step-sister only a year ago when Julie had decided to finally marry his father after six years of him chasing after her and her going back and forth from him to Bullit.

"She won't. Taylor is a fighter and she's going to be okay, Ryan. Not everyone leaves."

"Don't say that…because everyone does leave." He knew he shouldn't say that with Sophie listening to him but it had just come out of his mouth without thinking correctly first. "I'm sorry…" He exhaled the breath he didn't know he had been holding. This walk wasn't helping him like he wanted it to.

He needed Sandy Cohen to tell him what he should do to get through this. He needed the man to tell him he could do this. He could do anything if Sandy believed in him. Sandy had been the one to convince him that he really did love Taylor. That he was only himself when she was around. He had been the one that convinced Ryan to go after her and not let her stay in France. He knew he loved Taylor with everything in him but that little encouragement from his foster-father had always helped.

"Taylor isn't going to leave us, Ryan." Sophie whispered to him. Somehow that had made Ryan fell better to hear those words coming from the small blond child. "Mommy and Daddy wouldn't let that happen. Seth told me they are in Heaven watching down on us and making sure we're okay." She explained to her brother.

"Seth told you that?" Ryan was a bit shocked that his brother told the girl all of that. He wondered if Sandy and Kirsten maybe picked the wrong person for the job of taking care of Sophie, but only for a second. He didn't want to doubt their decision.

"Yeah…" She said getting shy once again.

"Well, for once Seth is right." Ryan put his hand on her back and rubbed circles soothing her as she kept crying.

"I agree." Kaitlin spoke up. Ryan looked at her and realized she was now crying, too. He hated seeing girls cry, especially when he cared so much about them as he had his sisters. The three of them sat down on a bench.

They all looked up when they heard the heels of Julie Cooper-Atwood approaching them. "Is she okay?" Ryan looked up and realized she had been crying too. He hated all of these tears but he knew that there was no way he could stop them from happening.

"The doctor's wouldn't say. They made me leave the room…" Ryan told her.

"She's going to be fine. She has to be fine." Julie said confidently. She hadn't been doing well at all since she found out about Sandy and Kirsten's death. Especially since they had died the same way her first daughter had died. That's what made all of this a little worse than it already was.

"She will be." It was Sophie who told her this. Julie smiled and reached out for her. She was after all her God mother. "I love you, Aunt Julie." Sophie snuggled into the woman. It warmed Julie's heart every time Sophie hugged her or told her she loved her.

Ryan smiled slightly through all of the pain at the two of them. This was too much for their family. He knew that none of them would get through any of this without each other.

Suddenly all four of them looked up to see Summer running towards them with a large smile on her face. "They are okay!" She gushed.

Summer had just seen her nephew for the first, she swore he was the cutest baby she had ever seen since laying eyes on her daughter two years ago.

Ryan looked at them before hugging Summer tightly and running for the hospital doors.

"She's okay." Julie grinned taking both Sophie and Kaitlin's hand's leading them both towards the hospital to see Taylor.

-

"Caden Cohen Atwood." Ryan whispered running a finger over the little boy's facial features.

"She was there. She helped me through this." Taylor whispered out of the silence of the room. The doctor's were able to stop the bleeding to get the baby out of Taylor as quickly as possible to ensure he was okay. "I couldn't have done this without her."

Ryan looked over at his wife confused. He had no idea what she was talking about.

"Kirsten…she…was there." Taylor told him confidently. "I know I sound crazy, Ryan but I swear I saw her there…" Ryan gave her a smile before kissing her forehead.

"She wouldn't have missed this for the world." He whispered to her.

"Okay, now enough hogging of my baby. I want to hold him." Taylor had finally realized she couldn't see the rest of her life without the little boy in it. She started imaging his future and how she would get to watch the little boy grow up.

If only Sandy and Kirsten could watch their first grandson grow up like they had wanted to.


	5. Chapter 5

**I had a bad day which is why this chapter ended in a not so happy way...The A/C in my car decided to crap out on me and it's insanely hot outside. And I have no money to fix it...and then i broke my review mirror with my head...which hurt. So my car's falling apart of me thus making today bad. **

Chapter 5

"Make him stop!" Sophie pressed her small palms firmly to her ears shutting her eyes tightly wishing away the sounds of the baby in the next room.

She didn't want to be here. She didn't want to live with Ryan or Taylor or their new baby, that she had already dubbed 'stupid.' She didn't like the yellow walls of her new bedroom. She wanted her old pink walls back. She didn't like the new clothes Taylor bought her, she only wanted to wear the clothes her Mommy bought her before she died. She didn't like how when Ryan took her to ballet practice he didn't look as interested in what she was doing as her Daddy had.

"Sorry, Soph." Ryan ruffled her hair as he ran past her from the kitchen back into the baby's room. Sophie rolled her eyes crossing her chest with her arms. She started scowling thinking about how the new baby was getting everyone's attention.

Sophie decided to stump her way into Caden's nursery.

"I want Mommy and Daddy to come back!" She yelled to her brother and his wife. Taylor and Ryan were trying to both stop their week old baby from crying. "I don't want to live with you anymore!"

Ryan looked over at her and his face dropped to see the tears running down her small cheeks. This had been the most hectic week of Ryan's life, more like three weeks. With taking in Sophie, making their family of two go into a family of three and then with Caden only giving them two weeks before coming into the world making their family turn from three to four in a matter of seconds. Ryan was more than overwhelmed.

"Sophie! Don't be so loud!" Taylor scolded once Caden's cries got a little louder. Taylor instantly felt sorry for scolding her. "I'm sorry…" Before Taylor could finish Sophie had ran out of the room still crying.

Taylor glanced up at her husband hoping he would give her some sort of answer as to what she should do now. She decided to let Ryan handle Caden this time and she would see what was going on with Sophie.

She wanted this to work. She needed for this to work. She couldn't let Sandy or Kirsten down. They had trusted her and Ryan to do a good job at raising their little girl, of course no one would do as good of a job as they would have done with her.

Taylor knocked softly on the closed door that was Sophie's bedroom. She could hear sniffles from inside as well as a 'go away!' Instead of listening to the girls yells she opened the door. Sitting in front of her was a sight that Taylor never liked seeing Sophie in.

The seven year old blonde was sitting in the middle of her bed that was covered in pictures of her parents. Whenever things got tough from Sophie she would run to her room and pull out her parents pictures and just stare at them for hours.

It broke Taylor's heart to see her miss her parents this much.

"They weren't supposed to leave me…" Sophie whispered not looking up at Taylor when she entered the room. "They were supposed to never die…Why did they leave me?" Sophie finally looked up at Taylor as tears ran down her cheeks at a much more rapid pace than before. Taylor needed to feel Sophie close so she walked over and pulled the girl up off of the bed and held her close to her body.

"I don't know why they left, Sophie." She whispered as tears ran down her own cheeks. So much for wanting to be strong for Sophie's sake.

"Maybe…they didn't die maybe they are playing a joke on us and they'll come back." Sophie looked up at Taylor with hopeful eyes. Taylor shook her head at the girl.

"I'm sorry, Sophie…baby they aren't coming back…"

"Stop saying that!" Sophie pushed away from Taylor. "They are coming back!" She cried out.

"Sophie…" Taylor tried reaching for her but Sophie pushed her hand away.

"Leave me alone." She folded her arms across her chest furrowing her small brow at Taylor.

"Don't do this, Sophie." Taylor pleaded trying to pull her close again.

"No! You're just going to keep telling me they aren't coming back to me! They will, Taylor! They have to!" She screamed the loudest she ever had at that point. Sophie was fighting her will against being in Taylor's arms when Taylor latched herself around the girl and refused to let go despite Sophie's small fists hitting her over and over again.

-

"I've never seen anything like that before…" Taylor whispered once Sophie was sound asleep in her bed. It had taken Taylor two hours to calm the girl down and she still wasn't okay. She ended up crying herself to sleep. Taylor had cleaned the pictures up and laid down with her until she her body had stopped shaking and her breathing evened out.

"I'm sorry." Ryan ran his hand through his hair as he looked down at his sleeping son with his arm around his wife's shoulder.

"She's so young…God, Ry I can't imagine that if something happened to us and Caden had to go through this…" Taylor looked up at Ryan hoping he would reassure her that everything was going to be okay and that their son would never have to know the feeling that Sophie was going through every day since her parents were dead.

"I know what you mean." He whispered before placing a kiss on her temple.

"Maybe…maybe we should get Sophie a therapist…" Taylor suggested quietly knowing this wasn't going to be something that Ryan wanted to hear. He tensed up and removed his arm from her shoulder.

"Her parent's just died, Taylor. She's sad not crazy!" He said a little too loudly.

"Ryan…I know that…but it might be good for her to talk it out…" She could see he wasn't liking what she was saying especially since he was gripping the railing of Caden's crib so tightly that his knuckles were turning white.

"No, that's final. I am not sending my little sister to a shrink! No!" He kept both hands firm on the crib as he spoke.

"I'm sorry…I'm so sorry…" Taylor tried to put a hand on his back but he only pushed it away removing his hands from the crib and walking out of the blue nursery.

This was really not the way Taylor had wanted her night to end.


	6. Chapter 6

**Next chapter WILL be intense, this one's just sort of a filler for what's going to happen at Sophie's therapy appointment...**

Chapter 6

Ryan opened the door slightly revealing the yellow walls of his little sister's new room. He looked through the dark room and saw the small sleeping form curled up in the middle of the twin bed.

He wasn't sure why he yelled at Taylor or why he had freaked out when she mentioned that they should send Sophie to therapy.

He knew deep down that Taylor was right, Sophie did need to talk to someone. This was a lot of a seven year old to handle on her own.

Ryan knew his biggest reason for not wanting to send Sophie to a therapist was Sandy and Kirsten. He felt that by sending her to someone else to 'fix' her he was letting them down. That he and Taylor felt like they couldn't handle Sophie's outbursts or her crying fits. He didn't want Sophie to feel let down either. He didn't want her to feel uncomfortable talking to a complete stranger when she had an entire family she could talk to.

"Ryan?" A voice broke the silence that had filled the room as Ryan watched Sophie sleep. He turned around to be met with his wife. She had been crying and he knew it was his fault. He shouldn't have yelled like that. He should have rationally told her his reasons for not wanting to send his sister to a therapist. She would have understood but now he has her crying and probably feeling worthless at her suggestion.

"I'm sorry." They both spoke up at the same time quietly as to not wake Sophie.

Ryan gave her a smile before walking over to Sophie. He leaned over and kissed her small forehead before walking back towards the door to his wife.

He instantly pulled her into his arms.

"I can't let them down…" He whispered as they made their way out of the room and into the hall.

"What do you mean?" She asked searching his eyes for an answer.

"I can't send Sophie to a therapist…that would be like giving up on her…"

"Ryan…that's not even close to giving up on her." She reached her hand out and placed it on his cheek. "Sophie needs to talk to someone who isn't family. Someone who can really help her deal with this because honestly Ryan we aren't a big help."

"Why can't she talk to us? She always talks to us…" He tried.

"You honestly think we're going to help Sophie deal with this? Ryan, we're trying to get through this as well…and Sophie's so much younger…she needs more help."

"I can't, Taylor." He shakes his head.

"Why? Why would it be so bad to let her talk to someone?"

"Because! Sandy and Kirsten relied on us to handle this! We shouldn't just hand her off to someone else the second things get too difficult for us."

"That is not even close to the reason why I suggested her going to a therapist." Taylor removed her hand from Ryan's cheek and rest it on her hip. She knew this was not a battle she was going to be winning anytime soon. She also knew that Sandy and Kirsten would understand completely if they sent Sophie to a therapist but Ryan just wasn't seeing that right now. She decided to bring it up again later, in due time he'd see she was right.

-

"Why aren't you talking to me?" Ryan sat down on Taylor and his bed. She was sitting up reading some parenting book that Summer had given her. She realized most of the stuff in there was a load of crap. She hadn't seen Summer do anything with Delaney that was suggested in the book.

"I didn't know I wasn't talk to you, sorry." Taylor said dryly pretending to be interested in the book, which she wasn't in the least bit.

"So, you're just going to be mad at me now?" He turned to look at her.

"I'm not mad, Ryan." She let out a deep breath running her hand through her long hair.

"Why are you doing this, Taylor?"

"What am I doing?" She turned her attention to him now.

"Acting like this! Just because I don't want to send Sophie to a therapist…"

"I'm going to sleep." Taylor furrowed her brow at him before laying down in the bed and pulling the covers over her head completely. She didn't want to talk to him right now.

Ryan sat next to her for fifteen minutes before getting up to take care of their son who was crying through the baby monitor that sat on Taylor's night stand.

Instead of falling asleep Taylor decided to get up and help Ryan with the baby. She found him sitting in the rocking chair holding Caden tightly against his chest. She smiled from the doorway watching her husband talk to the baby like he understood what he was saying exactly.

"Would you just think about it?" She finally spoke up. Ryan looked up at her.

"Taylor…"

"No, Ryan! God, It's not that I want to push her on someone else. Not even close. This is hard, Ryan! This is difficult and she needs someone to talk to."

"I know…it's just…aren't we letting them down by this?" He asked taking a deep breath as he held Caden.

"No, Ry." Taylor gave him a smile before walking over and kneeling in front of her husband and son. "We're not letting them down. Not at all. Sandy and Kirsten would trust us to make the right choices for Sophie and if we feel that she needs that extra push to make things better…than they would understand."

"Are you sure?"

"Very." She nodded putting her hand gently on his knee.

"But…" He tried to protest.

"How about we do a trial run. If after her first visit it doesn't go right we don't have to make her go again." Taylor tried.

"If she doesn't like it, we won't push her." He told her.

"We won't." She shook her head back and forth.

"Okay…then…"

"I'll schedule the appointment in the morning." Taylor whispered taking her hand and rubbing Caden's bald head soothing his small cries.

"I hope you know what you're doing…" Ryan gave her a smile.

"You doubt me?" She raised an eyebrow at him.

"Never."


	7. Chapter 7

**Somehow I forgot about this story the past couple of days...I wasn't sure how to approach Sophie's therapy appointment. Sophie says those things about her therapist cause that's how i feel about mine. Except I have a guy. **

Chapter 7

Nervous was an understatement when referring to Ryan at this particular moment. A week ago they had made the appointment for Sophie's first therapy appointment. They had taken the time to explain everything to the child, answering any question she had for them as best as possible. Ryan wasn't even sure why he was so nervous. He wasn't the one that would have talk to the stranger. They were here for Sophie, he had to keep reminding himself of that.

Sophie held her big brother's hand tightly trying to assure him that everything would be okay. She, out of the her and Ryan, was the least nervous. Although, she really didn't understand why they were sending her to a therapist. Her Mommy and Daddy hadn't made her go to one.

"Sophie Cohen." A tall lady with dark hair appeared out of the door directly in front of Ryan and Sophie. Sophie smiled at Ryan one last time before getting up and walking towards the door.

"Mr. Atwood, I would like to speak to you after I speak with Sophie." The woman grinned. Ryan only nodded not sure if he could speak. He didn't want to sound as nervous as he was feeling.

He was starting to wonder if this was worse for him or Sophie. She didn't seem to be worried at all but he was.

-

"Hi, Sophie I'm Dr. Harris." Sophie watched as Dr. Harris walked over to her desk showing Sophie the chair she was supposed to sit in.

Sophie didn't like this room. It was too dark. She felt that some nice bright walls would help improve this room. Sophie sat down in the seat. It was hard. It was much worse than the dark room all together.

"Hi." Sophie spoke to the older woman not really paying attention but more looking around the room. There were pictures cluttering one wall. The people in them looked young but each different. None of them looked anything like this doctor. "Who are they?" Sophie pointed towards the pictures.

"Oh, those are my clients. Other boys and girls just like you who I've helped." Dr. Harris smiled at Sophie opening some sort of notebook.

"I don't need help." Sophie spoke quickly. "What are you writing down?" Sophie noticed the woman was writing something down in the notebook. She wasn't sure if she liked that. She felt it rude that this woman was writing while she was supposed to be paying attention to her.

"Just some things." Dr. Harris smiled before leaning on the desk with her hands together. Sophie didn't like her smile. It seemed strange.

"That's not nice." Sophie wrinkled her nose at her.

"How old are you Sophie?" Dr. Harris asked.

"Seven." Once again Dr. Harris wrote something down. "Did you know my Mommy and Daddy?"

Dr. Harris looked up at Sophie. She hadn't figured that the little girl would come right out and say something about her parents. She had talked directly to Taylor Atwood, she had explained everything about Sophie's parents and how Sophie was now living with her and her husband.

"No, I didn't but according to Taylor they were great people."

"Yeah…Taylor loved Mommy and Daddy. She said they were more like her parents than her real parents were." Sophie spoke up. She wasn't sure why she trusted this woman, she just did even if she hated the woman's office, the chair and her smile. She still seemed nice.

"How do you like living with your brother and his wife?" Dr. Harris asked her.

Sophie shrugged. "It's okay, not like living with Mommy and Daddy cause Caden cries a lot but Taylor holds me when I cry. That's really nice of her."

"You like Taylor alright?"

"Yeah. She's amazing but sometimes she speaks in French and it's really weird." Sophie scrunched up her small face. Dr. Harris let out a small laugh. "Ryan told me that's just the way she is. He also says she really crazy so I should just overlook her when she rambles or says something silly."

"Do you like Ryan?"

"Very much! I love my real brother, Seth, but Ryan's always been around. Seth used to be gone a lot but now he lives down the street from where I lived with Mommy and Daddy." Sophie got a bit sad.

"Do you miss them?" The doctor asked her. Sophie gave her a strange look. She figured the woman would already know that.

"Yeah, Mommy used to tell me that she'd always be around for me." Sophie looked down at her hands.

"Is it hard?"

"What do you mean?" Sophie asked her.

"Being without your parents." Sophie wasn't sure if she liked talking to this woman anymore so she just glared at her.

"I don't wanna talk about my Mommy and Daddy anymore."

Dr. Harris smiled nodding. She knew it would take Sophie a little while to discuss her parents leaving her the way they had.

-

"She's a bright little girl." Dr. Harris spoke to Ryan. He shifted uncomfortably in the chair. He had sat in the small waiting room for the past hour worried about how Sophie was doing talking to this strange woman. She had come out smiling sucking on a red sucker some of his nerves had subsided, but only some of them.

"Yeah…" Ryan looked back at the closed door. Sophie was on the other side of that door playing with the toys in the waiting room with Dr. Harris's secretary. "So, she's okay and everything?" He turned back towards her.

"She will be." Dr. Harris said simply. Ryan didn't want to hear that.

"So, she's not doing good right now?" He asked her.

"She won't talk about her parents just yet but I know before too long she will. Just give that time. Now, I want to see her every once a week, Wednesday afternoons. That's all. I don't have much to discuss with you. She only shared as much as liking you and your wife but Mr. Atwood I can tell you she's going to be okay in the long run."

That was much better. Ryan let out a deep breath. He really hoped he wasn't letting Sandy and Kirsten down. That was the last thing he wanted or needed, even if they couldn't tell him directly that they didn't like him doing this to their daughter.

-

Ryan walked out of the doctor's office with Sophie's hand in his.

"Do you like Dr. Harris?" Ryan asked her opening the back door of his car so she could climb in.

"She's okay. Has a funny smile. Her office is too dark." Sophie told him. Ryan laughed a little before walking around the car to get into the driver's seat.

"So, she's nice?" Ryan questioned.

"Nice enough." Sophie said simply.

"That's good." Ryan nodded still not sure he liked this too much but he trusted his wife and if this is what she thought was best for his little sister then he'd go along with it.


	8. Chapter 8

**Just a filler. Nothing big. **

Chapter 8

"So, how'd it go? Sophie was smiling so I'm guessing it went great." Taylor smiled approaching Ryan as soon as he walked into the front door. She had to stay home with the baby while Ryan took Sophie. She hadn't wanted to miss her appointment but there was no way she was leaving her son who was only two weeks old with someone else and taking his would have been difficult with all the sitting and waiting.

"It went okay." Ryan shrugged side stepping his wife.

"That's all you're going to give me? Okay?" She stood there with her hands on her hips glaring at her husbands back as he walked into their kitchen.

"There's nothing else to say really." Ryan spoke not looking at her still.

"Sure there is, like what'd the doctor say? Did she talk to you? Did Sophie like her?"

"She said Sophie would be better in due time and yes she talked to me. Sophie said she was nice." Ryan said approaching the refrigerator.

"I'm sure she said more." Taylor rolled her eyes at him when he turned around his a bottle of water in his hand.

"That's basically it." He told her.

"Fine, don't tell me. Now, would you like to know what your son did?" Taylor grimaced thinking back to an hour ago.

"What?"

"Peed in my mouth." She made a strange gagging noise just thinking about it. She had cleaned her mouth insanely as he laid in his crib crying. Ryan started laughing at her. She glared at him. "So, not funny!"

"You should have put his diaper on quicker." He said after his small laughing fit. Taylor glared at him again before he went into another fit of laughter.

"You're a terrible man, Ryan Atwood." She spat before turning around. She hadn't gotten far when Ryan caught up with her pulling her into him.

"Did you clean your mouth?" He smiled.

"I brushed my teeth like 30 times and gargled mouth wash over 10 times." She frowned.

"I still don't know if I want to kiss you." He smiled. Taylor tried to pull away from him. Before she could register anything he had pulled her back to him and planted his lips on hers. "It's clean." He smiled pulling back grinning at her.

"Glad that you think so." She rolled her eyes. To her, her mouth still felt dirty. "From now on you're on diaper duty because I would rather this not happen again." She put her head on his chest as he held her close.

He chuckled before kissing the top of her head.

-

"Can I see the picture of you and Mommy again?" Sophie walked into Caden's room where Taylor was sitting in the white rocking chair with him. "I really like that picture." She smiled wide before sitting down on the floor in front of Taylor.

Taylor grinned at the little girl before standing up to put Caden in his crib. She sat back down and patted her knee for Sophie to sit on her lap. Sophie settled her small body back on Taylor as she ran her hand through her blonde hair.

"She was an amazing woman." Taylor whispered in Sophie's ear. Sophie nodded. "Your Daddy was great, too." She added.

"I know." Sophie whispered back. Taylor reached into her pocket. Folded was the picture she had taken with Kirsten just two weeks before the car wreck. It was Taylor's baby shower and Taylor had never seen such a wide grin on Kirsten's face. She had her hands placed on Taylor's stomach as Taylor stood with her hands on her hips smiling over at Kirsten. It was the perfect picture of the two of them. Taylor never went anywhere without it. It was a copy, the actual one sat in a frame in the living room. That's the one that she had made sure they had packed to bring to the hospital so she could have it with her when she had Caden. She wasn't sure why she needed to carry it or have it around but she just did.

"You look so much like her." Taylor unfolded the picture handing it over to Sophie. Sophie smiled before clutching the picture to her heart. Taylor started crying as the little girl fell asleep on her lap.

Ryan stood in the doorway of the nursery watching the two women that he was sure he loved the most in his life. He watched as Sophie closed her eyes and fell into a soft sleep. He grinned at Taylor who's eyes were anything but dry at that moment. He walked over and lifted Sophie off of Taylor's lap.

Taylor followed him out of the room and into Sophie's bedroom where she sat down on the edge of her bed. She watched as Ryan softly kissed Sophie's cheek and then walked over and kissed her own.

He took her hand and pulled her up. She followed him out of Sophie's room after shutting her light off and closing her door.

"We're going to Seth and Summer's tomorrow right?" Taylor asked Ryan once they had reached their bedroom.

"Isn't it Delaney's birthday?" He questioned pulling his shirt over his head. Taylor nodded. "Then yeah, I guess so." Ryan glanced over at Taylor who was standing on her side of the bed fiddling with her hands in a nervous way. "What's going on?" He asked.

"Nothing, it's just. It's going to be so weird without Sandy and Kirsten…" She looked into his eyes. Ryan gave her a slight smile before walking around to her and pulling her close to him.

"I know what you mean." He sighed resting his chin on her shoulder as she relaxed into him. "I love you, know that?" He whispered in her ear. "I miss them, too. I just feel like I have to be strong for everyone else's sake."

"You don't. Ry, you can be as sad as we are." Taylor turned around to put her arms around his neck.

"It just doesn't work that way." He shrugged.

"Sometimes it's okay to mourn their death. You need to grieve." Taylor smoothed Ryan's hair back before placing a kiss on his cheek. "I love you, too." She smiled before pulling away from his grip.

"Where are you going?" He tried pulling her back to him.

"Incase you have forgotten. We have a two week old son in the next room who is crying." She pointed over to the baby monitor. Cries were erupting from it, but Ryan hadn't heard. He had been too wrapped up in his wife and his thoughts to hear anything else.


	9. Chapter 9

**I have nothing to say. so I'll just let you read this now...**

Chapter 9

"You okay?" Ryan pulled his wife close to him as she looked around the backyard at Seth and Summer's house. "You look upset."

"I'm okay." She nodded automatically then rethought her answer. "I'm not okay actually." She turned around in his arms to look at his eyes.

"Why not?" He asked confused.

"I don't know, it's just they are supposed to be here. Kirsten had been waiting on Delaney's third birthday. She had already bought her a gift. She's their first grandchild…"

"We can't help what happened." Ryan told her.

"I know that…God, I feel like a child…but I just…I wish they didn't have to leave. What had they done wrong exactly that they had to go?" Ryan could already tell she was about to cry again. He hated seeing her crying but he knew where she was coming from. He had actually been feeling the same way, even if he hadn't shown it.

"I don't know, Taylor. I really don't know…" He ran his hand through her hair. She didn't even care that he had messed it up, all she wanted was to be close to her husband right then. She didn't even care that there was a backyard full of people behind them or the fact that their son was sleeping in his carrier. "Where's Sophie." Ryan broke apart from the embrace startling his wife.

"The last time I saw her she was playing with Delaney." Taylor turned around to look for her. She scanned the backyard not spotting the blond haired seven year old. "Maybe she's in the house." She turned back towards Ryan before pulling away from him and walking into the house. "Sophie!" Taylor yelled through the empty house. Everyone else was in the back.

"She in here?" Ryan asked from behind her. Taylor shook her head before heading towards the stairs to check up there.

"Sophie!" She yelled again opening every door and checking each room twice over.

Taylor started to panic. It wasn't like Sophie to just hide or not show up when called. "Ryan!" Taylor ran down the stairs in a hurry to see her husband walking towards the front door. "She's not up there."

"I'll check out front. You keep checking around here."

-

Even though Ryan was panicked, he had a feeling he knew where his little sister was. The house sat barely five houses from Seth and Summer's. It was where she had grown up, where she born. Ryan let out a breath when he saw the blond hair sitting on the front porch with her knees up to her chest. He gave a weak smile before walking over silently and sitting down next to her. The house had yet to be sold so they weren't disturbing anyone.

"I wish I still lived here." Sophie whispered not looking up at Ryan who pulled her close to him with his arm wrapped around her little shoulders. "I'm sorry, Ryan…"

"I was scared when I didn't see you…just don't walk off like that without telling someone, okay?" He told her.

"Okay." She nodded slightly before resting her body into her brother's fully.

Ryan wanted to say something to his little sister that meant something. Something that he could reassure her of all of this but he couldn't think of anything. His mind just didn't seem to want to work correctly, all he could do was sit there silently with Sophie and hold her close. It was actually all either of them needed at that moment.

That was enough to reassure the both of them that they weren't alone in this.

-

"Where was she?" Taylor quickly asked her husband on the phone. He had just called her ten minutes after leaving the house to look for Sophie.

"The Cohen's old place." He whispered. Taylor's heart quickly broke. She sat plopped down on the couch in Seth and Summer's living room in defeat. She felt like she had let the little girl down by not knowing where she could have been. She should have known, since Seth and Summer's house was so close to where she used to live. "We're going to take a walk then get back over there."

"Oh, okay. See you soon. Love you." Taylor said before hanging up the phone. She glanced over at her son that was sleeping soundly in his carrier. She got up and walked over to him. She sat down cross legged in front of him. "I'll never let you down." She whispered to the sleeping child. Taylor reached for the baby and pulled him out of the uncomfortable sleeping arrangement. He stayed asleep in his mother's arms as she sat there in the middle of the living room while everyone else enjoyed the three year olds birthday party.

-

"I know I don't talk much, Sophie…" Ryan took her small hand in his helping her up from the steps. She gave him a weak smile before they started walking away from the house. "Promise me you'll talk to me if you have to, okay? I know you can talk to Dr. Harris but you can talk to me too."

"I know. You're a great big brother, Ry." She smiled up at him.

"You're a great little sister, Soph."

"I want to get back to the party. Mommy and Daddy would have wanted me to have fun."

"You're right. Plus I'm pretty sure Taylor's freaking out about you missing."

"But you called her…"

"Doesn't matter. She's still worried." He told her.

"I'm sorry for leaving without telling you guys. I just wanted to see the house again…"

"I know." He gave her a weak smile. He had wanted to see the house too, although he would never exactly admit that out loud. It was part of having to be strong for his family.


	10. Chapter 10

**If you're reading this...please please review! Thank you to the people who are reviewing. Right now it's my favorite story to write. I plan on getting some insight from Seth. I haven't really shown how he's dealing with everything. That will probably be within the next two chapters.**

Chapter 10

Appointment number two would be happening today. Ryan looked over at his sister who was trying her hardest to find something to wear. Ryan rolled his eyes at how difficult this task seemed to be for her. She had to find just the right outfit. Usually it was something her Mom had bought her before she died. She still refused to wear the clothes Taylor had bought her.

Ryan hadn't made much progress since the incident at the Cohen's old place. Somehow the man figured that it would be best if he kept everything in. He refused to talk to his wife about the death of the people who took him in when he needed someone the most.

The past few days he had been getting these strange calls; the person on the other end just breathing and then hanging up. He had tried calling the number back but whenever he tried there was no answer. The phone would just ring and ring not even going to an answering machine. These calls usually happened at the same time every day. 1 am. His wife just shrugged it off saying that it was probably just some teenagers prank calling but Ryan didn't feel the same way about it. It was something more.

"Okay, just pick something already. We're going to be late as it is." Ryan ran his hand through his hair trying to get the child to figure out what she wanted to wear before they missed her appointment completely. Sophie turned around from her quest and glared at her brother.

"These things take time, Ryan." She huffed before turning back around and looking through her clothes again. He wasn't sure what the big deal was about Sophie and having to take so long to find something to wear. He figured it had something to do with Kirsten having picked out her clothes for her before.

Ryan walked out of Sophie's room and into the living room to find his wife feeding their son. He smiled at her.

"She's not ready yet?" Taylor questioned.

"Not even close." He sighed sitting down on the couch next to her.

"Seth called…he was wondering if one of these days he could spend some time with Sophie."

"Sure, she's his sister. I don't see why not." Ryan shrugged before Taylor handed Caden over to him. "I'll talk to Sophie on the way to the Dr's."

"Ryan, I really need you to hear me out, okay? Don't get mad at what I'm about to ask you." Taylor took a deep breath before sitting back in the couch. Ryan nodded really not sure if he wanted to hear what she was about to say to him. "I know you're totally against this therapy thing. But I was thinking that maybe we could get you a therapist too, since you obviously won't talk to me about any of this. I just think it'd be good for you like it's going to be good for Sophie."

"I don't want to talk to anyone, Taylor. I'm fine." He didn't raise his voice or get mad at her. He kept neutral just looking down at his son. He looked at the little boys features. His nose was exactly like Taylor's. His hair was bright blonde and those eyes were definitely from Ryan. His mouth was from Ryan as well.

"If you won't talk to a therapist then talk to me, I'll listen without judging. Ryan, you know that. I just think it'd be good for you to let all of this off of your chest before it becomes too much. Before you end up having a nervous breakdown or something."

"I said I'm fine, Taylor." Still his voice stayed neutral when he spoke to his wife not tearing his eyes away from Caden.

"God, why is it so difficult for you to just talk to me? You're obviously dealing terribly with this." She huffed crossing her arms over her chest.

"I should go check on Sophie." He said handing Caden back over to her before standing up and leaving Taylor in the living room.

"You ready yet?" Ryan pushed open Sophie's door to find her sitting down on the bed in tears. He really hated when she did this. "What's going on?" He asked her confused staying in his spot from the door.

"I can't find anything to wear, can you get Taylor." She looked up at her brother. Ryan gave her a slight nod before turning back around and walking into the living room to Taylor.

"She wants you. Maybe you could take her today. I'll watch Caden." He suggested. Taylor gave him a bright grin at the thought that Sophie needed her help.

-

Taylor sat in the waiting room of the small therapists office. She felt a little nervous as she watched the door that Sophie was inside talking to Dr. Harris. She really wanted to talk to the lady to get something out of her. Ryan had barely told her anything from the last visit.

She glanced over at the clock on the wall. She had been sitting here for over an hour now. She was rather antsy to see how Sophie acted after talking to Dr. Harris.

The door to the office opened and the Dr. smiled at Taylor and asked to speak with her. Taylor looked over at Sophie who looked a little sad. She wasn't sure that that was such a good thing for the little girl. That's when she realized that maybe this wasn't the best idea for Sophie.

"It's really nice to meet you, Dr. Harris." Taylor smiled at the woman before sitting down in the chair across from the woman's desk. "My husband didn't tell me much about Sophie's last visit…"

"She's doing fine, Ms. Atwood. I want to discuss with you about her brother, Seth." The Dr. gave a slight smile to Taylor.

"Of course." Taylor said a little confused.

"Sophie asked me if I knew him. She started going on and on about her older brother. I was wondering if maybe you could have her spend more time with him. She expressed that she missed him and didn't understand why he didn't come around her a lot."

"Of course, I'll make sure she spends more time with him." Taylor nodded at the lady. In fact she was thinking the same thing, which is why she was the one to call Seth and ask that morning if he could spend more time with the little girl. She had told her husband that Seth called but he hadn't really expressed any type of interest in spending time with his sister. Even when Taylor asked him if he could spend time with her, he still acted like he didn't want to be around her. It had confused Taylor greatly but then she wondered if it had anything to do with his parents and their death or the fact that they had left Sophie to Ryan and I. "Is there anything else I should know? I mean is this really a good idea to send her to you?"

"I think it will help her to talk to someone who isn't family but I really can't tell you if you made the right decision or not sending her to me. That is completely up to you." Dr. Harris gave Taylor another smile.

"I'm just really worried about her. She's been doing this thing where it takes her hours to just pick out a simple outfit. She ends up crying after she can't decide. I don't know if it has to do with her parents or what…"

"I'm guessing it does have to do with her parents. Has this started recently?"

"She's been doing it since she's moved in with us. She never did that with her Mom." Taylor explained to the Dr.

"I'll be sure to talk to her about that next appointment."

"Okay…" Taylor trailed off unsure of herself.

-

"How did it go?" Ryan questioned his wife as she busied herself in the kitchen.

"Fine, you should talk to Sophie though. Why hasn't she told us about her worries with Seth? I can understand why she wants to spend time with him but shouldn't she have told us?" Taylor looked at him.

"I guess…have you told her about him wanting to spend time with her?" Ryan rubbed at the back of his neck.

"Well, no. Not exactly. Okay, so don't get mad but…I was the one to call Seth. I know I shouldn't have but I just don't understand what his problem is not wanting to see his sister."

"Taylor…" Ryan leaned his weight on the counter.

"I know I shouldn't get involved but I just had to. Summer expresses the same concerns as I do. Maybe you could talk to Seth if you want talk to me. Maybe it would be good for the both of you. Summer told me Seth isn't doing so well either." Taylor said to him. "Maybe you two could spend time with Sophie together."

"You aren't going to let this go are you?" He huffed.

"No, not until you agree to talk to someone. Anyone, Ryan." She began chopping a tomato.

"I'm going to check on Sophie." He didn't agree with his wife that he needed to talk to someone. He wasn't sure why it was such a big deal to her. He had kept things to himself his whole life. This wasn't anything different. Sure, it was getting to him a little but he just didn't want to let it all out. He was sure that if he did say something about it that he wouldn't be able to stop himself from going on and on. He wasn't sure he wanted to tell someone all of his thoughts and fears about the death.

-

Ryan knocked softly on Sophie's door before turning the door knob and walking in. She was sound asleep on her bed clutching a picture. Ryan had noticed that Sophie had this strange attachment to picture lately. She was always asking him or Taylor to show her pictures of her parents.

Ryan didn't like looking at pictures of the Cohen's. It just brought so much pain to him that he would rather just keep buried.

He didn't want to disturb the little girl so he walked back out of the room. He decided that maybe it was time he talked to Seth. Even if he didn't tell his brother about his thoughts, maybe it would be good for him to just hang out with him like before. He needed things to go back to the way they were before, even though he knew things would never be the same.


	11. Chapter 11

**I plan to get deeper with Seth in later chapters. **

Chapter 11

Seth Cohen watched as his younger sister ran from one end of his yard to the other. He sat down on the steps pulling his daughter onto his lap. Summer had spent most of the day trying to entertain the seven year; which is exactly what she was trying to do now.

Seth had taken to barely speaking to Sophie. It wasn't that he didn't love his little sister, it had more to do with their mother. Sophie was the spitting image of Kirsten Cohen. Everything about the little girl screamed Kirsten. That's what seemed to be bothering Seth. Like Ryan he was trying to keep his feelings inside; which was strangely unlike the talkative man. This was just something he didn't feel like discussing unless it was his with wife. She was the only person he'd even bring up the death to.

After the death and the reading of the will he had a hard time understand why his parents would choose Ryan and Taylor. What did they have against him and Summer? Even though his parents had written him a letter it still didn't explain as much as he wanted to know. He needed their reasoning's in full other than just a 'we felt it in our hearts.' That wasn't enough. There had to be something more there but Seth knew he would never know what it was exactly. It was gnawing at his insides. It was as if he was searching for that answer, it was as if he wasn't going to let this go until he figured it all out.

"Come play, Seth." Sophie ran up to stand in front of him. Seth didn't meet her gaze only looking up at his wife with pleading eyes. Summer just shook her head and glared him down.

"What are we playing? Just know I do not do contact sports or actually any sports for that matter." He gave in. As much as he wanted to not look at his sister, he knew it was inevitable for the little girl needed him as much as he needed her right now.

-

"Was she okay?" Ryan asked Seth once he had walked into his and Summer's house. Seth sighed before sitting down on the couch putting his head in hands.

"Is it supposed to be this difficult? Am I supposed miss them this much? Why do I feel like I can't even spend time with Sophie? She needs me and I'm basically ignoring her when she tries to talk to me. Sure I played with her for a second but that's not enough…Ryan what's wrong with me?" Seth looked up at Ryan with pleading eyes. He needed an answer but little did he know that Ryan was searching for the same answers.

"She's a good kid." Was all Ryan could get out. Seth shook his head at Ryan knowing that he should have known better than try to get something out of him.

"She's my Mom reincarnated." Seth muttered. Ryan took a deep breath before sitting down on the couch across from the one Seth was sitting at. "Are you happy they chose you?"

"How can you ask me that? How can I answer a question like that, Seth?" Ryan wondered from his brother.

"It's as simple as telling me you are happy or you're not. If you aren't then I know my parents made a bad choice in picking you."

"I'm happy but I still can't stop wondering why me? They know me almost as much as my wife does, you'd think they would see that I wouldn't be the one get this little girl to talk or get her through this." Ryan sighed leaning back.

"She's sleeping." Seth was done talking about this. This conversation was over and Ryan couldn't have been more happy for that. He realized that maybe Seth wasn't the one he needed to talk to about the death, since he was obviously not doing well with this either.

-

"Have fun?" Taylor smiled brightly at her husband and his sister as they walked through the front door. She scrunched her nose up at how terrible Sophie smelled. "Did you play in the dirt or something?" She questioned her. Sophie just gave her a grin before walking past her and up the stairs. "You're getting a bath little lady." Taylor called after her. "Did you talk to Seth?"

"For a little bit." Ryan shrugged walking towards their kitchen to get something to drink. "He's having a hard time with everything…"

"So are you." Taylor pointed out.

"Let it go, I am fine." Ryan rolled his eyes at her. "I know he doesn't think his parents made the right choice in picking us."

"Do you?"

"Sometimes, then there are the times that I'm no so sure about everything." He told her.

"I think we're all going to be just fine. And I am not going to let go that you need to talk this out. At least not until you actually do." She walked over and put her arms around his waist.

"Are you happy with how things have turned out?" Ryan's question caught her a bit off guard. She pulled away from him and pushed the fallen hair out of her bangs.

"I don't regret my choices, if that's what you mean. I'm sure there are things in the past that I would love to change but I can't so I'm not going to dwell on them, such as Sandy and Kirsten dying. But, honestly Ryan, yeah I am happy. Are you?"

"Yeah…I am." He kissed the top of her head before pulling her closer to him. Their moment was broken when they heard Caden crying and then Sophie's voice yelling for Taylor. "I'll get Caden." He kissed her on her lips before pulling away from her.

-

"What's wrong, Sophie?" Taylor walked into the girls room.

"Does Seth still love me?" She asked her. Taylor walked over to Sophie's bed before sitting down next to her.

"Of course he does, why would you ask a thing like that?" Taylor questioned her.

"Cause, even though he played with me he won't look at me…I know it's because of Mommy and Daddy…is it my fault they died?" Taylor's face fell at the little girl. She didn't want Sophie to ever think that she had anything to do with her parents death.

"Of course not, Sophie. You didn't do a thing. These things just…they happen and we can't control them. Seth is just upset…it might take him some time just like it's taking the rest of us time. Your parents were a huge impact on each of our lives in a different way." Taylor explained to Sophie.

"I love you Taylor." Taylor had to fight back the tears as Sophie hugged her tightly.

"I love you too, Sophie." Taylor kissed the little girls forehead before she released her grip.

"I think I'm ready for that bath now." Sophie scrunched her nose making Taylor laugh.

"I think you're right." Taylor stood up from the bed before taking Sophie's hand and leading her to the bathroom.


	12. Chapter 12

**I can't decide if i want to make the 'girls day' happy and super cute OR sad to the point that it brings tears to someone's eyes...oh the choices...tell me what YOU want to see?**

Chapter 12

Sophie Cohen watched herself in the mirror in front of her. She tilted her head to the right; her reflection did the same. She stuck her tongue out; her reflection mimicked her move. Sophie let out a loud 'humph' before turning around. She quickly turned back around to see if the reflection in front of her did the same. "Copy cat." She muttered to herself in the mirror.

"Sophie what are you doing?" Taylor interrupted her.

"She's mocking me." Sophie pointed towards the mirror then scowled when she saw the girl in the mirror doing the same as her. She looked up at Taylor who was now chuckling at her. "What's so funny?" Sophie wondered.

"You are, silly." Taylor sat down on Sophie's small bed. Sophie rolled her eyes before turning her attention back to the mirror. She stuck her thumbs in her ears before sticking her tongue out and seeing if the little girl in the mirror would do the same. "Sophie, you do know that's you, right?" Taylor questioned her a little confused at what she was doing.

"Of course, I know!" Sophie rolled her eyes back over at Taylor.

"Then what are you doing exactly?"

"Mommy and I used to play like this. We'd make funny faces in the mirror…and…I just wanted to see if I could do it without her. It's not so fun anymore." Sophie shrugged giving up and walking over to where Taylor was sitting. She plopped down next to her before letting out a loud sigh.

"Would it be fun if I played along?" Taylor asked her. Sophie shook her head.

"It's not the same."

"Oh…So…what exactly do you want to do today? Ryan is going to hang over at Seth and Summer's with Caden. Summer was talking about coming over here…maybe we could have like a girls day or something." Taylor wasn't sure why she was stumbling so much on what she was trying to say to Sophie.

"Like we used to do with Mommy?" Sophie's eyes widened at the thought. Taylor gave Sophie a weak smiled before nodding.

"Something like that."

"Oh! This is going to be fun!" Sophie jumped up from the bed. Taylor hadn't seen the little girl this animated since she had come to live with them. "What should I wear?" Sophie beamed.

"You could always wear that cute yellow dress I bought you…" Taylor said unsure of how the little girl would react to that.

"Okay." She grinned and instantly pulled the dress off it's hanger.

"Really?" Taylor gasped. These little things that Sophie did meant a lot to Taylor; even if to other's they didn't seem like such a big deal. It made her feel more like Sophie needed her or actually wanted her around. Taylor stood up after Sophie nodded and left her in her room. She instantly ran towards her bedroom to talk to her husband. He had just gotten into the shower when she went to talk to Sophie.

Taylor sat down quietly on the bed that faced the door of their bathroom. She shook her leg impatiently wanting him to hurry up so she could tell him what happened. This was big; no it was huge. At least for them it was. To an outsider it might look strange that the woman was so excited over her husband's sister wanting to wear something she had bought.

"Took you long enough!" Taylor jumped up as soon as the door to bathroom opened revealing her fully clothed husband who was now giving her this strange look of confusion.

"Sorry?" He took the towel he was holding and rubbed it across the top of his head.

"It's fine. Just…Sophie's wearing one of the dresses I bought her." She told him quickly far too excited to waist anymore time. He didn't seem as excited about it as she was. "This is a big deal, Ry."

"I know it is. I'm really happy about it but…" He adverted his eyes away from her.

"But what?" She questioned stepping forward.

"Does it mean she's forgetting them? That she's letting them go?" He said all of this just above a whisper making it hard for his wife to hear what he was saying exactly. Taylor instantly stepped back realizing exactly what he had said to her.

"I don't think that's what it means…" Taylor looked down at her hands and fidgeted with them a bit. She wasn't sure why but she was suddenly feeling bad for being happy about what had just happened. "Can't she be happy and still miss them? I mean just because she does something different for a change doesn't mean that she's going to just completely forget about Sandy and Kirsten. She's making progress…isn't that the whole reason for the therapist, Ryan? Isn't that the whole reason for all of this? Or maybe this has something more to do with you then Sophie…"

"I…" Ryan started but suddenly stopped. He just shook his head at Taylor before walking past her and out of their bedroom.

"I'm tired of you just hiding your feelings like this, Ryan! It's not fair to me or Sophie! How are we supposed to get better as a whole if you just keep walking away like you are…how are we supposed to do this as a family if you can't even talk to me." Taylor followed him from the room.

"I'm tired for arguing with you over this. Just but out, I'm fine!" Ryan turned around and snapped at her a bit.

"But we aren't! Our family is falling apart, Ryan. And I'm not just talking about our little family," She motioned between them, "I'm talking about everyone."

"They aren't my problem." Taylor stepped back at her husbands words. Once again she wasn't expecting that. He wasn't that type of guy. Especially since he was the one who said he had to stay strong for all of them.

"Then what is your problem, Ryan? Because honestly I don't know who you care about anymore. You're a brick wall these days and it's getting to be too much for all of us. How can we tell Sophie that she needs to let out her feelings if you can't even do that?" Taylor felt like she was a broken record trying to get this through her husbands head. It just wasn't getting through that thick skull of his.

"Taylor, why are you yelling at Ryan?" Sophie came out of her bedroom that happened to be right next to where the two of them were standing. Sophie latched her small arms around her brother's legs before giving Taylor a glare. If Taylor was in a good mood she would have found it cute but she was no longer in that mood she had been in just minutes before.

"She's not yelling at me, Sophie." Ryan patted the little girls head. Sophie's face softened when Ryan assured her.

"Is Summer here yet?" She grinned pulling away from Ryan. When Taylor noticed she was wearing the yellow dress she suddenly felt better. She wasn't going to let her husband's insecurities get to her today. She wanted this day to be special for Sophie. Sophie needed to feel more like the little girl she was other than the girl who had just lost her parents.

"Why don't you go help Ryan get Caden ready and I'll go call Summer." Sophie smiled up at Taylor and then up at Ryan before grabbing his hand and dragging him into the baby's room.


	13. Chapter 13

**School is kicking my butt right now which means fewer posts from me. And it's possible that my posts will only be on THIS story; I just don't have time for anything else right now...so once this one's done I'll move on to the next. Anyways, uhm let's see Ryan breakdown coming soon enough. This chapter isn't the best but...it's all i could come up with this past week.**

Chapter 13

Sophie paced back and forth in front of the front door waiting patiently for Summer to get there. Well, almost patiently after dragging Ryan from the house and telling him that he wasn't allowed to be there anymore, she had taken to asking Taylor every other minute when Summer would get there.

"Taylor!" Sophie called for the woman again. Taylor peeked her head out of the kitchen.

"Hmm?"

"Is she…" Sophie started but Taylor stopped her.

"Sophie, she'll get here when she gets here, go watch TV or something maybe that will pass the time." Taylor couldn't believe she was pushing the girl off on the television. "On second thought maybe you could come sit with me in the kitchen."

"What are you doing?"

"Want to bake a cake? I mean once Summer and Delaney get here we can all go to the store…I just think it'd be really fun." Taylor twisted her hands together. She wasn't sure why she was so nervous around Sophie. It wasn't like she had never spent the day alone with the little girl but she was more than thankful that Summer would be joining them. Maybe that way Taylor wouldn't so nervous.

"Cake? Can it be chocolate?" Sophie's eyes widened making Taylor giggle at her.

"Of course." She nodded.

"Awesome!"

"So, your idea of a fun day is giving my daughter a sugar high?" Summer walked into the kitchen. "Figured you were waiting on me, just let myself in." She explained.

"That's fine, I'm just surprised Sophie didn't hear you." Taylor grinned walking over to the woman who had become her best friend. She gave her a hug before reaching for Delaney who instantly melted in Taylor's arms. "How do you like being three, Lane?"

"S'okay." She shrugged giving Taylor a wide grin.

"Are you sure she's Seth's child?" Taylor laughed to Summer. Delaney was the most quiet child Taylor had ever encountered. It was strange with her being Seth Cohen's daughter.

"I ask myself that everyday." Summer joked walking fully into the kitchen over to Sophie giving her a tight hug. "Okay, now what did I hear about cake?" Before Taylor could explain her plans to Summer the front door of her house opened and closed.

"Who's that?" Taylor asked confused before walking from the kitchen into the foyer.

"You should really learn to lock your door. Some stranger could just come right in." Kaitlin raised an eyebrow at Taylor who just stood there still feeling a bit confused.

"What are you doing here, Kaitlin?" She hadn't meant for that question to sound so harsh.

"Visiting my family. Why else would I be here?" The 23 year-old rolled her eyes.

"I just figured you'd be in New York seeing as Ryan and I were the ones to drive you to the airport after I had the baby…and why aren't you in New York, Kaitlin?" Taylor demanded. She knew something had to be going on for Kaitlin to come back to California for no obvious reason.

"New York isn't for me, I mean sure it's all bright lights big city you'd think I would fit right in but I'm thinking I'd rather be back in California."

"Uh-huh, there is more." Taylor folded her arms over her chest. Kaitlin shot her a glare.

"Fine! My stupid boyfriend kicked me out of his apartment and I had no where else to go."

"Try again." Taylor smirked knowing full well that Kaitlin had her own place and as far as she knew Kaitlin didn't even have a boyfriend.

"Taylor!" Sophie's voice rang from the kitchen. Taylor turned around slightly to see if Sophie had stayed in the kitchen with Summer. Once she realized that she had she turned her attention back to Kaitlin.

"This conversation is not over, Kaitlin. Does Julie even know you're in town?"

"No, but soon enough she will since you obviously never know how to keep a secret."

"I'm only looking out for you but…like I said we'll talk later for right now you're going to watch Delaney and Sophie while Summer and I go to the store. We're having a girls day and I expect you to participate."

"Sounds delightful." Kaitlin smirked before walking past Taylor and into the kitchen. Taylor took a deep breath before following her.

-

"What's Kaitlin doing in town?" Summer questioned once she and Taylor were at the grocery store picking up items for their girls day.

"She didn't say, unless you count the little lie she said about her boyfriend kicking her out and not having anywhere else to go. She doesn't even have a boyfriend." Taylor said pushing the cart down an aisle.

"Something's going on. She's done this before. Like when she left boarding school and every time someone asked her why she would lie, I mean besides her having winter break or whatever. Ryan was the one to get the truth out of her. I don't know how he does it but Kaitlin actually talks to him." Summer spoke

"I'll talk to him later. Let him enjoy his time with Seth before he comes home and maybe has to deal with drama concerning a Cooper…" Taylor sighed.

-

"How long are you staying?" Sophie swung her legs back on forth while sitting on a stool at the counter. "I don't want you to go 'way again." Kaitlin gave the young girl a slight smile before walking over to her and sitting on the stool next to her. She glanced quickly over to Delaney who was sitting on the floor playing with her dolls.

"What if I told you I was going to stay here?"

"Like…forever?" Sophie's face lit up.

"It's possible." Kaitlin just shrugged taking a deep breath. She had a secret. A huge secret that could possibly change everything in her life. A secret she wasn't sure that she wanted anyone to find out about, at least not yet anyway.

-

Taylor put her hands on her hips looking around her insanely dirty kitchen. It had taken them two hours to get almost the entire kitchen covered in flour, chocolate and whatever else that was supposed to go into the cake they had planned on making. Instead it had turned into an all out war. Kaitlin, Summer and Delaney against Taylor and Sophie. All in all the five of them were all a mess once it was over.

"How exactly did we manage this?" Taylor muttered taking in the large kitchen. This was going to take hours to clean up. Summer was upstairs giving Delaney and Sophie baths while Taylor was supposed to be trying to find a way to clean the mess. Kaitlin had disappeared soon after they were finished throwing the ingredients at each other.

Taylor ran her hand through her hair before stopping to realize that she egg yolk in it. That's when she decided maybe a shower would be better before she cleaned.

-

"Delaney's napping and Sophie's watching a movie; let's get this place cleaned up." Summer walked into the kitchen an hour later to find Taylor mopping the floor with her wet hair plastered to her back. "At least it was fun."

"It sure was, but I'm just…I'm worried about Kaitlin, Summer. She just left out of nowhere after she got that phone call…"

"I'm sure everything is fine." She shrugged before started to wipe the down the countertops.

"I sure hope so, there's just so much going on right now and knowing Kaitlin she'll dump this on us. Ryan can't handle another problem, he's already about to break." Taylor sighed stopping what she was doing and looking at Summer.

"He's still not talking?"

"Ha, Ryan, talking? Now that ones funny."

"Everything will work out, Taylor. It just how he handles things."

"I know that but it's not always the best way to." Taylor pointed out.

"True." Summer nodded. "Just give it time." She gave Taylor a smile before busying herself with cleaning again.

Taylor just stood there. She really wanted to give everything time but it was beginning to take far too long. She wasn't sure how much longer her family could handle all of this. Plus, she was really hoping that Kaitlin would figure her mess out on her own and try to not get her husband involved. It was really the last thing he needed. Probably the straw to break the camels back.

-

Taylor found herself snuggled up with Sophie on the couch soon after the kitchen was spotless. Sophie was sitting there explaining to her everything that was going on in the movie. Taylor of course knew everything Sophie was saying but it was nice to have the little girl talk to her so freely like that.

"Today was fun, Taylor." Sophie grinned at her.

"I'm glad you had fun, baby." Taylor kissed the side of her head.

"Mommy would be happy that I had fun, wouldn't she?" Sophie questioned.

"She sure would."

"Good, because I did…and I still miss Mommy and Daddy but…I like living with you and Ryan." She confessed looking up at Taylor with such confidence. Tears instantly caught in Taylor's eyes as she stared at the seven year old in front of her.

"We love you living here, Sophie."


	14. Chapter 14

**Hope what's going on with Kaitlin wasn't too predictable. There's a bunch of things that are going to happen with that. Anway, next chapter will be completely about Ryan dealing with the Cohen's death. I'll TRY to add Seth in the mix there...but i don't know how that will play out...Enjoy!**

Chapter 14

"How was your day?" Ryan walked into the living room where Taylor was sitting cross legged on the sofa watching the News. Taylor's face instantly brightened to see her husband and son. She got up quickly and made a quick walk to take Caden's carrier from Ryan. She didn't even acknowledge Ryan while she sat the carrier down to take Caden out of it. She cuddled him close to her.

"I missed you so much." She cooed swaying back and forth with him in her arms. "Mommy doesn't like being away from her baby for so long." She kissed the top of his blonde head.

"I'm here too, you know." Ryan interrupted his wife who had all of her focus on their baby. She then looked up at Ryan and grinned.

"I know, I'll get to spend all night with you. This little man's about to go to bed." She looked back down at Caden. "Did you have fun with Daddy and Uncle Seth?" Taylor whispered to Caden even though she knew full well he had no idea what she was saying nor was he going to answer her back anytime soon.

"Seth's jealous of him." Ryan walked over and sat down on the sofa. Taylor gave him a strange look. "He said that Seth/Ryan time shouldn't involve the kid. Apparently Caden disrupts him from talking about himself so much. Oh, and I like Caden better then I like him."

Just as Taylor was about to say something the front door opened and closed. Ryan raised and eyebrow while Taylor sighed knowing exactly who it was.

"Who's that?" Ryan was about to stand up but Taylor stopped him.

"I wanted to tell you about her being back before she actually came back from wherever she just was. Well, it's Kaitlin and honestly Ryan I have no clue why she's here, she won't talk to me…"

"Talking about me, are we?" Kaitlin entered the living room looking like she had been crying.

"Aren't you supposed to be in New York?" Ryan questioned her.

"Well technically yes I am but I'm not." She smirked before going to turn around and leave the room.

"Wait, Kaitlin." Taylor stopped the girl. Kaitlin turned around to glare at Taylor. "What's really going on?

"Why are you here, Kaitlin?"

"Can we talk in the morning?" Kaitlin huffed rolling her eyes.

"You're staying here?" Ryan asked her confused at the entire situation.

"Yes, good night."

"Stop trying to leave, Kaitlin! Get in here and sit down next to Ryan." Taylor demanded pointing towards the couch. She didn't care that she was yelling at Kaitlin like a two year old, that's exactly how she was acting at the moment. Kaitlin was about to leave again before she heard Ryan.

"Sit, Kaitlin." Taylor was amazed that Ryan could make the girl sit down on command, she hadn't been that lucky to do that with Kaitlin. "Go put Caden to bed." Ryan said to Taylor. Taylor nodded knowing that Kaitlin would probably be honest if she was just talking to Ryan alone. "Now, get to talking."

"I don't want to talk, Ryan." Kaitlin sat back on the sofa sighing.

"I care?"

"You should. You of all people know what it's like when someone doesn't want to talk." Kaitlin snapped at Ryan. "You won't even talk to your own wife, so why exactly should I talk to you if you can't even talk to someone?"

"You don't know what you're talking about, Kaitlin. This isn't about me. It's about you and why in the hell you're in California and not in New York." Ryan's voice raised.

"It's none of your business."

"None of my business? You are staying in MY house of course it's my business."

"Fine, then I'll leave." Kaitlin was about to stand up but Ryan pulled on her arm and pulled her back down on the sofa.

"No, you're going to talk."

"Why?" She whispered as the tears started to form in her eyes again. "It's just going to be real if I actually voice it…I don't want it to be real, Ryan." Kaitlin buried her face in her hands. Ryan knew all too well what she was saying about talking making it real. He was going through the exact same thing with dealing with the Cohen's death and taking in Sophie.

"Sometimes if you talk it will help." Taylor's voice came from he doorway of the living room. Both Ryan and Kaitlin turned to look at her.

"Not always." Kaitlin rolled her eyes trying to hide the fact that she had been crying just moments before.

"Are you two sure you're not biologically related because I swear you're both brick walls." Taylor rolled her eyes at them not liking that they were both not talking about what was going on with them lately.

"Really want to know what's going on?" Kaitlin stood up getting pissed off at both Taylor and Ryan. "I was raped! Some guy pulled me into a dark alleyway and raped me! I was coping with it on my own, right? Until I found out I was pregnant! Happy now?" Kaitlin was screaming at the top of her lungs at them as tears just ran down her cheeks.

Taylor stood there speechless as she watched Kaitlin run past her and out of the house. She looked over at Ryan who was staring over at her.

"Oh my God…" Taylor whispered looking back towards the front door. "What just happened?"

"I wasn't expecting that…"

"Yeah, me either. I should go talk to her." Taylor went to leave but Ryan stopped her.

"Let me."

"Oh, okay." She nodded before hearing a small whimper coming from the top of the stairs. "Sophie, what are you doing up?" She asked her running swiftly up the stairs. "Baby, you should be in bed." She said when she reached her.

"Someone was yelling." She rubbed at her eyes.

"I'm sorry. How about I put you back in bed, okay?"

"'Kay, can you lay down with me?" Sophie asked her. Taylor nodded at the little girl before following her towards her yellow walled bedroom.

-

"How'd it happen?" Ryan leaned his weight up against the railing of the porch. Kaitlin had her elbows propped up with her face in her hands.

"I don't know. It just happened. I don't even know what he looked like." She choked out.

"And you're pregnant?"

"Yeah…" She nodded. Ryan was as a loss of words. He didn't know how to handle this. This was far too much for him to handle, actually. With everything going on he couldn't deal with this.

"What are you going to do?" He questioned.

"Adoption. I'm not ready to be a mother." She said.

"Adoption can be good." He nodded.

"Yeah, but I don't want to give the baby to some stranger…"

"Why'd you come here, Kaitlin? Why not to your mom or Bullit?" He asked her.

"You're the only person that I can actually trust…and I thought maybe you could help me break the news to them…" She bit down on her bottom lip before wiping away at the fallen tears.

"I can't. There's just too much…"

"What's one more thing?" She snapped at him.

"I don't need this. I've got a wife and a son who I really need to focus on right now. Plus there is Sophie. They need my full attention, Kaitlin. I can't deal with you or your mom. I'm sorry."

"No you're not, if you were sorry you'd help me with this." She spat before going to walk into the house. "Good Night." She said opening and closing the front door with a slam.


	15. Chapter 15

**Not what you expected probably. It will all even out eventually.**

Chapter 15

"_Uhm…Hey, Ry. It's me…Mom. I've been thinking about you lately and…" _Ryan didn't wait to hear the rest of the voice message before he ripped the phone cord out of the wall it was attached to. He then proceeded to lung the entire phone and it's base across his bedroom earning a gasp from his terrified wife.

He didn't need her calling. He didn't need another problem attached to the long list that he was already carrying around. He knew nothing good would come of her calling, even if she was still sober.

"Throwing things now?" Taylor broke the silence that had taken over their bedroom. She glanced at the shattered phone and then over at her husband who was breathing heavily. Ever since he had come inside from talking to Kaitlin he had been even worse than before. That was two hours ago and the silence was starting to kill Taylor. Especially now after what he had just done.

Ryan looked at Taylor with his hands propped up on his hips before stalking out of their bedroom. He couldn't break down in front of her. He wouldn't allow himself to seem weak in his wife's eyes. The last thing he wanted was for his wife to not feel safe around him. He could hear her footsteps close behind him as he rushed down the stairs and towards the front door. She was yelling something or other but he wasn't listening. He had to get out of there.

Ryan found himself driving out of his neighborhood. He didn't have a destination in mind, he was just going to go wherever the road would take him.

He wasn't sure how but the road ended up taking him to the cemetery. The same cemetery that his foster parents were now buried in and had been for almost two months.

He didn't get out of the car right away. Instead he pounded his fists into the steering wheel a couple of times cursing himself for losing it in front of Taylor. He knew he shouldn't have done that but with everything lately he just couldn't help himself. He thought maybe it would relieve him a little bit but it had only made him feel more guilty than before.

Guilt was eating Ryan alive lately. He felt guilty for everything that was happening in his life or his families. Especially the Cohen's death.

_The Cohen's death. _

He knew the only way he could move on is if he let go. Letting go was going to be the easy part. Coming to terms with it all and actually talking about it, that was going to be difficult.

He hadn't cried, yet. It had nothing to do with him not being sad or not missing them. It had more to do with shock. Shock that they had died so quickly when he had just seen them the morning before. Shock overtook Ryan for three days after the death. His wife tried everything to snap him out of it but Ryan took the Sophie Cohen approach at first and chose to ignore it. He made himself believe that they weren't dead, that everyone was just lying to him or telling him some really bad joke. It all became real when Seth asked him to help plan the funeral. After that he just decided to bury it all and hide his feelings about anything concerning their death.

Ryan slowly got out of his car. He suddenly felt dizzy as he stood there in the dark looking at all the gravestones in front of him. He was starting to feel sick to his stomach thinking that two of the most amazing people he had ever met were occupying two of those gravestones.

He closed his eyes before taking a deep breath and closing his car door. He slowly made his way to Sandy and Kirsten's headstones. Kneeling down in front of them was when he lost it. Everything that he had been holding back was now flooding out of his eyes in the form of tears.

He was hurting. He had never in his life felt this much pain. He hadn't felt anything close to this when his mom just gave up and left him. Marissa's death was nothing compared to this feeling. Nothing could compare to this hurt.

He dug his face in his hands as his body heaved in sobs. He couldn't control it but he needed this. He needed to release somehow.

"Why?" He whispered through his tears to the two blocks of cement with the Sandy and Kirsten's names on them.

-

Taylor was worried sick.

The first hour after Ryan had left she had taken to cleaning the mess up in their room and anything else that could possibly be dirty.

The second hour she had started baking. It was the only way she figured she could calm herself down from whatever was happening to her husband.

The third hour is when she had taken up pacing back and forth in front of the front door with her cell phone in her hand repeatedly dialing his number. It had taken her almost 15 minutes to realize his phone was in the living room.

When it neared the fourth hour she could no longer take the waiting. She ran upstairs and knocked roughly on the guest bedroom's door to wake up Kaitlin. A groggy and very upset girl came to the door.

"What?" She asked harshly.

"I need you to keep an eye on the kids. Ryan left and I need to go find him. Even if I have no clue where he could possibly be. So, just listen out for them. Okay?"

"Got it." She barked.

"I have not done anything for you to be angry at me about so maybe you should do something about that tone." Taylor put her hands on her hips as she snapped into mom mode.

"You woke me up." Kaitlin said simply trying to soften her a voice a bit.

"Oh, well sorry but just keep your door open incase Sophie wakes up again. She's been having nightmares lately."

"Got it." She nodded still in a half sleep.

"Okay." Taylor gave her a half smile before rushing back down the stairs and throwing her coat on. She grabbed her keys and left the house as quickly as possible.

-

"Part of me figured this is where you would be." Here voice was soft and familiar. Ryan's whole body relaxed when he felt her hands on his shoulders. "You okay?"

He wasn't. Not even close.

He stayed silent as he stared at the tombstones. He had been sitting there for the past three hours just crying. He'd get close enough to trace the letters in their names and then he'd start to curse himself for letting this happen to two people that meant a lot to him. He knew that it wasn't his fault but somehow after everything he was still blaming himself.

"Have you been crying?" He felt the hands leave his shoulders to find his hands as she sat down next to him on the cold grass. "Want to talk about it?" Instead of saying anything Ryan pulled his wife close to him and rested his head on her shoulder as his body heaved with sobs again. Her hand rubbed circles on his back as she whispered in his ear.

"I…" He started but couldn't finish. The words were at the tip of his tongue but he had formed a lump in his throat that restricted him from speaking. So, he just sat there and let her comfort him.

"You've never cried in front of me." She told him. "I've always wondered why you felt you couldn't. I love you, Ry."

"I needed to be strong for you." He finally said after a few long moments of silence.

"You don't have to be. You're human and we all feel pain." She told him as she pulled her body close to his.

"You won't feel safe anymore." He had never in his life let his emotions go like this, especially not in front of his wife. It had taken everything in him to just trust her with this but it just felt right. He knew that she wouldn't judge him and he knew that she would probably be happy with the fact that he could actually emotionally let go with her.

"I will always feel safe with you, no matter what." She voiced.

"I blame myself."

"For what?" She pulled away from him realizing that he might actually talk to her instead of building his wall back up after he had finally let go.

"Them dying. For Seth being angry. For everything…"

"Why?"

"I don't know, I just feel like it's all on me." He shrugged. Taylor pulled him close again.

"They wouldn't want you to feel like this. It's not your fault. None of it is. It's just life and we have to face it." She told him.

"Together?"

"Always." She said smiling into his shoulder.

"I think I'm ready to talk, about everything but you'll have to give me time…"

"Okay." She nodded.

"Let's get home." He said pulling away from her and standing up from the ground.

"Promise me that you won't throw out telephone again. We kind of needed that." She said as he helped her up.

"It was my mom. I can't deal with her right now."

"You don't have to." She said knowing full well that her husband would eventually have to deal with his mom calling. It would eat him alive wondering what exactly she was calling for. Truth was, it would eat Taylor alive as well. She just wanted to find out. Maybe then she could either tell the woman to stay away or get her husband to accept her back into his life.

"You're amazing, you know that?" He wrapped his arm around her shoulder as they made their way to their vehicles.

"I know." She grinned. She earned a laugh from her husband that had come from deep inside of him. "What are we going to do about Kaitlin?" She wasn't sure if it was exactly the right moment to talk to him about it but she figured that since he was so open before maybe he would talk about this.

"I can't help her right now. She can stay with us but right now I just can't handle another thing on my shoulders." He sighed. "Let me deal with what's in front of me right now and I'll handle Kaitlin when things even out."

"Fair enough."

"Truthfully, I just want to see the Bullit's face when she tells him." He laughed a little.

"It will be priceless." She nodded as they reached their cars.

"I'll see you at home." He kissed her forehead before releasing her. She watched her husband walk to his car and get into the driver's seat.

She started to think about what had just happened moments before looking at Sandy and Kirsten's graves. He had actually broken down in front of her and she was actually happy about it. Sure, she hated that he was hurting like he was but never had Ryan actually shown those type of emotions to her. She finally felt like he was trusting her fully into his life and his heart, even though she knew she had stolen that years ago.


	16. Chapter 16

**Nothing big going on this chapter. **

Chapter 16

"I'll take Sophie to her appointment today. Kaitlin will watch Caden. I know you've got work to do." Taylor glanced over at her husband who was pulling his shoes on as he sat on the edge of their bed.

"When do you go back to work?" He questioned.

"Six more weeks. Maternity leave is a perk of having a baby." Taylor grinned as her husband stood up and approached her.

"What are we going to do once you're back at work?" He asked her taking her hands in his.

"I was thinking…Kaitlin's not going to be working or anything so…maybe she could watch him? She's going to need the practice and I really don't want to leave him with a stranger…"

"Sounds perfect." He cut her off before kissing the top of her head and releasing her hands.

"Are you okay today?" Taylor asked. It had only been a few days since the night at the cemetery. Ryan hadn't spoken a word about it since, so Taylor figured she probably shouldn't bring it up until he did.

"Yeah, I am." He nodded but Taylor could already see that wall slowly being built back up. "I'll see you tonight." He kissed her before leaving her alone in their room.

-

"Ready to go, Sophie?" Taylor entered the kitchen to find her and Kaitlin eating cereal.

"When does school start back for her?" Kaitlin pointed her spoon at Sophie. She would be going into the 3rd grade.

"Two weeks." Taylor smile which happened to be a week after Sophie's eighth birthday.

"I'm going to be eight in a week, Kaitlin." Sophie giggled.

"I know, kid."

"Alright, let's get going. You okay with watching the baby?" Taylor asked Kaitlin one last time.

"Yes, now get before you two miss Soph's appointment." Kaitlin urged her to leave.

"Fine, fine." Taylor helped Sophie down from the stool before taking her hand.

-

"She's doing better?" Dr. Harris questioned Taylor once she had sat down in the woman's office after Sophie had already spoken to the older lady.

"Much. I'm so proud of how much progress she's making. I mean…she still misses her parents but I figure that no matter what she'll always miss them." Taylor told the woman nervously.

"Your husband's sister is living with you two now?" The doctor asked slowly writing things in her notebook.

"Step. Yes, she is. Only for a little bit though. Why is that a bad thing?" Taylor worried.

"No, not at all. Sophie was just telling me about her." The doctor smiled up at Taylor.

"Sophie adores Kaitlin."

"Mrs. Atwood, I was wondering if the situation with her other brother has gotten any better. She didn't speak of him this session."

"Oh, well. Seth's kind of in a strange place right now…so no…it hasn't gotten any better but we're working on it. My husband's not doing any better than his brother. It's really difficult for everyone right now…" Taylor felt like she was telling this woman way too much about her family.

"I'm sure everything will get better." Taylor didn't like this woman's smile. It wasn't warm or reassuring. It was cold and Taylor felt like the woman was mocking her in a way. "For all of you." She finished.

"So, is that all?" Taylor asked hoping she would be able to get Sophie and leave already.

"Pretty much."

-

"So, are you ready for the wrath of Julie Cooper-Atwood?" Taylor laughed leaning her weight against the counter as Kaitlin stuffed her mouth with chocolate cake.

"Might as well go ahead and get this over with. I don't think I'm going to tell her about the rape part though. I just don't want everything to be worse with her than it will already be." Kaitlin said with a mouthful of cake.

"She'll understand if you tell her, Kaitlin. You obviously need your mother in a time like this." Taylor tried before grabbing a fork and taking a bite of the cake. "Now, how are you going to tell Bullit?"

"I've already told him. He knows everything and he said that it might be best to not tell mom about the rape part…"

"How'd be take it?" Taylor asked taking another bite.

"He started telling me he knew I should have stayed here with everyone…he just went on and on about being too young to live alone in New York. He's going to help me though." She said. "God, this cake is amazing."

"If Bullit can take the whole truth how come you don't think your mom can?" Taylor questioned her.

"I don't know…I just…I'll tell her about that part when I'm ready. Right now all I can deal with is actually telling her about the pregnancy." She said before looking down at her stomach. "Oh God, I'm going to get fat." She groaned.

"Yeah, you are." Taylor smiled at her.

"That helps."

"I'm being honest." She shrugged putting the fork down and stepping away from the cake. "Especially if you keep eating things like that."

"I can't help it. It's amazing." Kaitlin grinned taking another bite not caring that she had eaten almost all of the cake in three days by herself. "How's Ryan doing?" Taylor had told Kaitlin all about Ryan's little breakdown at the cemetery leaving out the part about him crying. Taylor wanted to keep that one all to herself.

"Honestly, Kaitlin. I have no clue." Taylor sat down in a chair. "He hasn't said anything since the other night. I don't know how to get it out of him either."

"He'll come around. I'm sorry for upsetting him like that. It's just he's Ryan and I can always count on him. I just figured that this wouldn't be any different, even if he had a lot on his plate." Kaitlin shifted her weight on one foot and then the other.

"Maybe you should talk to him today." Taylor suggested as Sophie bound into the room singing something. "You're in a good mood."

"I want some cake." Sophie's eyes widened at what Kaitlin was eating. "Please?" She begged. Taylor nodded at Kaitlin before watching the little girl scarf down the cake just as Kaitlin had been doing just moments before. "Sometimes Mommy used to make cake for me and Daddy. One time she burnt the cake so Daddy went out and bought one from the store. Then one time Mommy dropped the cake on the floor making a huge mess. It was really funny." Sophie was smiling the entire time she recalled her times with her parents.


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

Kaitlin Cooper stared at herself in the mirror pulling her shirt up slightly to reveal her ten week bump. The doctor's told her she was going to be fine but she didn't see that as being true. She was raped and that was scary to think about. Scary to think that in 30 weeks she would have to take care or give up for adoption a child that was conceived out of hate. Hate. There wasn't any other possible way to describe what this guy must have felt for her.

Why her? Why did she have to be the one that he hurt? She was supposed to be going to fashion school. Finishing up her degree, not in Berkeley living with her step-brother and pregnant.

This wasn't right and Kaitlin knew that. She knew that if she kept the kid she would forever be reminded of what happened to her. She wasn't sure if she could actually handle that.

That's when she decided what she wanted to do.

She'd have to talk to Ryan about this one.

-

"Kaitlin, what are you doing here?" Ryan looked up at her over his pile of paperwork.

"I wanted to talk to you." She sat down nervously in front of his desk. She wasn't sure how she was going to ask him this. She wasn't even sure he'd agree to it considering everything that was going on. "About…this…" She pointed at her stomach. Ryan put his hands on his desk before taking a deep sigh.

"What about it?" He questioned looking more tired than ever.

"I'm not going to keep it, I know I already told you I'd give the baby up for adoption but…honestly Ryan, I'm scared to give the kid to some stranger…and I was thinking that…maybe you and Taylor could maybe possibly adopt the baby? That way I'd still be able to see it but I couldn't take care of it myself." She told him not looking up at him. She couldn't look into his eyes. She didn't want to see the emotions in them.

"What?" He stuttered out. That's when she finally decided to look up.

"It's the best thing I could come up with…"

"The best thing you could come up with?" He asked a little harshly.

"Yes." She looked back down at her hands.

"God, Kaitlin. What part of I can't handle a lot right now do you not understand?"

"I'm scared." She confessed.

"You should be but…I'll talk to Taylor." He sighed. She looked up at him again confused at what he had said.

"Wait…I thought you'd…"

"I can't turn a kid away, Kaitlin and if you can't take care of it then…" He trailed off.

"Thank you. Look there's 30 weeks for you to decide completely…and then it's possible that I can change my mind…" She whispered.

"Yeah, well I have work to do. I'll see you at home later." He returned his attention back to the work in front of him.

Kaitlin nodded before standing up. She knew this was the right thing to do. She knew that it was the best decision she could have possibly made for this kid.

-

"Hey." Ryan grinned to see his wife after a long day of work. He was beat.

"How was your day?" She smiled before walking over to him and wrapped her arms round his neck. "I missed you."

"Tiring. I missed you too." He kissed her forehead. "Where's the kids?" He questioned.

"Kaitlin took them to the park."

"Good, because there's something we need to talk about." He was nervous. He wasn't even sure why. He knew that what he was about to tell Taylor was a big deal. It was something he hadn't thought Kaitlin would even ask him. Something that he didn't think that he would be able to do but he couldn't turn her away. Especially not with the way she was sounding or looking when she had come to his office.

He knew this was going to be just another thing on his plate that he wouldn't be able to deal with.

"Oh, uhm, okay?" She pulled away from him nervously.

"Kaitlin came by the office today…"

"I told her to talk to you." She said resting her hands on her hips.

"Did she tell you what she was asking of us?" He asked hoping that she maybe already did.

"No?"

"She wants us to adopt the baby…" He said just above a whisper before looking into his wife's eyes. There were so many emotions running through those amazing eyes of hers. "I told her…I said I'd talk to you."

"Wow, I…wasn't expecting that one…" She took his hands in her own.

"I wasn't either, actually." He let out a small laugh.

"We never talked about more kids and…I mean sure we could take Kaitlin's baby in but what happens when she realizes that she wants it back?"

"I don't know what…to do." He whispered.

"Well…isn't there time to think about this? We have Sophie to handle and…could we take in another child that isn't our own?"

"Would it matter? Blood doesn't make family." He sighed looking away. He wasn't even sure why he was really thinking about this.

"You're right. You're completely right…" She nodded before resting her head on his chest.

"We have time." He assured her.

"We'll talk more about this another time. Right now I think we should spend whatever time Kaitlin's got the kids…together." She looked up giving him a smile.

"This is the first time we've been alone since Sophie moved in and Caden was born." He put his hand on the back of her neck.

"Mmhmm. Come on she left half an hour ago." She grabbed his hands again leading him towards the stairs and to their bedroom.


	18. Chapter 18

**The past two weeks have been crazy, with all of the hurricane's and family evacauating to here and then of all things i'm sick. So, if this chapter makes barely any sense blame it on the nyquil that's in my system right now. **

Chapter 18

"So, today's the day?" Taylor grinned at Kaitlin who was sitting on the couch looking more nervous than ever. Her smile quickly went away when she saw how terrible the girl was looking. "Or not?"

"It is but I'm not ready." Kaitlin told her truthfully. "How exactly do I tell Julie Cooper that I'm pregnant with a child that's father is a faceless rapist? After she begged me not to go to New York, I don't think I can do this." Kaitlin sighed.

"Tell her your plans for the baby and yourself. She'll end up understanding. This isn't your fault, Kaitlin. I don't know why you keep putting all of it on yourself." Taylor sat down next to her. "Now, turn that frown upside down and help me decorate for Sophie's birthday."

"Can I like wait until tomorrow? I mean think about it, today is a big day for Sophie. I wouldn't want to ruin it by my mom yelling at me. The kid has enough going on as it is." Kaitlin was trying. By the look on Taylor's face it didn't seem like it was working.

"Nice try, but no this can't wait until tomorrow. You've waited enough tomorrow's as it is. You've been here for like what two weeks and she still doesn't know you're in town? I think you've had more than enough time." Taylor told her before getting off of the couch and extending her hand to help the pregnant girl up. "Plus, I don't think you can hide that much longer." She pointed towards her bump.

"I don't want to get fat, Taylor. God, I'm going to be like…the size of this house! And your house is huge." Kaitlin took Taylor's hand.

"It won't be that bad. Never mind, that's a lie. It's going to be miserable getting fat but after it's all said and done you'll be happy to have that baby…I mean…Ryan and I will be happy to have that baby." Sure she and Ryan hadn't fully discussed taking the baby since Kaitlin asked him about it but she knew that neither of them would be able to not take this baby. This baby was family and neither of them could turn away family. Not after they both had such a scarce one growing up.

"So you're considering it?" Kaitlin looked at her with hopeful eyes.

"I think we are." Taylor nodded. "Ryan and I both grew up not really knowing what love was between a family, at least not until the Cohen's let us into their lives. We both want that baby to feel the love we hadn't as kids." Taylor told her truthfully.

"Thanks, Taylor. This means a lot…"

"Do you have plans for yourself after it's born?" Taylor asked her.

"No, but I'll figure it all out." Kaitlin exited the room not wanting to talk about after the birth any longer.

"What was that about?" Ryan entered the room seeing Kaitlin look a little upset when she left.

"She's facing her mother today." Taylor replied before walking over to her husband. "I actually feel bad for the girl."

"She'll be fine." Ryan told her.

"I hope so." Taylor kissed his cheek before happily leaving him alone in the room.

-

"Kaitlin?" Julie Cooper walked into the kitchen seeing her 23 year old daughter standing there. She wasn't supposed to be here. She was supposed to be in New York, working.

"Mom?" Kaitlin looked up at her with a mouthful of food.

"What are you doing here? I had no idea you were going to be in town! I'm sure Sophie's excited that you're here for her birthday party!" Julie walked over and hugged Kaitlin.

"Actually, mom. I think we should talk about something…" Kaitlin pulled away from her mother.

"What about?" Julie looked at her confused.

"Well, uhm. Let's go up to…the guest bedroom." Kaitlin looked around the room not wanting to do this where people could walk in or overhear their conversation. The last thing she wanted was for everyone else to know that she was pregnant.

"Alright but is this really that important?" Julie questioned.

"Yes, it actually is mom. By the way where's Colton?" Kaitlin glanced behind her mother.

"He'll be here soon with Frank."

"Oh, okay. Let's go and talk." Kaitlin told her wishing there was something else she could use to postpone this talk with her mother.

-

"Happy Birthday!" Ryan picked up his now eight year old sister and spun her around. She started giggling making him smile even more. He just wanted this day to be good for her. To let her know that even without her parents she could still have a good birthday. The last thing he wanted was for the little girl to be moping around on her birthday.

"Where's Taylor?" Sophie instantly asked once Ryan had put her down. She straightened out her blue dress before looking up at him.

"She went out to pick up the cake, so I'm going to go outside and set up." Ryan told her.

"Really?" Sophie smiled again.

"Yes, really. Now, birthday girl, why don't you watch TV or something while I'm outside." He said to her.

"Okay! Ryan?" Sophie stopped him from leaving her room right away.

"Yeah?" He turned to look at the blonde girl.

"I wish Mommy and Daddy were here." She looked down at her feet.

"Me too, Soph." He agreed with her.

-

"Now, what is it?" Julie rested her hands on her hips looking at her daughter. Kaitlin sat down on the edge of her bed while biting her bottom lip.

"I think you should sit down for this, Mom." Kaitlin patted the spot next to her. Julie gave her a strange look before reluctantly sitting down next to her. "Now I need you to not freak out and let me explain everything before you say anything, okay?"

"You're making me nervous, Kaitlin. Just hurry up and tell me."

"I'm pregnant," Kaitlin told her mom not wanting to look into the woman's large eyes. "And I don't know who the father is."

"You don't know like you slept with multiple men in one night or something?" Julie spat out.

"You aren't supposed to freak out, mom! And no that is not what I mean by not knowing who he is…I mean…" Kaitlin looked down at her hands scared about what she was about to tell her mother. She hadn't planned on telling her about the rape. She hadn't planned on telling anyone about that part besides Ryan and Taylor or Bullit, but right now it just felt like in this situation she needed to tell her mom. "Mom, I was raped."

"What?" Julie whispered taking Kaitlin's hands in her own before pulling her now crying daughter into her arms. "When? How?"

"None of that matters. All that matters is it happened and…I'm not keeping the baby." Kaitlin pulled away from her quickly wiping at her eyes. "Ryan and Taylor are adopting it. It's the best choice, for it and for me." Kaitlin stood up wanting this whole moment to be over with.

"Oh, Kaitlin." Julie tried to reach for her daughter but Kaitlin had already left the bedroom.


	19. Chapter 19

**Basically a fill in chapter, due to the shortness of it. I'm not so sure I'm happy with it.**

Chapter 19

"How'd it go?" Taylor approached Kaitlin just an hour before people were set to arrive for Sophie's party.

"It went." Kaitlin said really hoping Taylor wouldn't push this but if Kaitlin knew Taylor then she knew that the woman would want more than what she had told her. "I told her that I was raped." Kaitlin whispered.

"I thought you were going to leave that one out." Taylor cradled her son in her arms before walking over to the fridge and taking out a bottle for him. "What changed your mind?"

"I don't know. It just sort of came out." Kaitlin shrugged watching Taylor as she effortlessly fed the baby. "I didn't even give her time to reply. I'm surprised she didn't follow me and she's not down here right now demanding information." Kaitlin told her before sitting down on a stool at the edge of the counter.

"She's probably shocked. That's a big deal, Kaitlin. I mean it's not every day that your daughter comes to you and says 'hey mom I'm pregnant and I was raped'" Taylor said animatedly. "I mean if my child had come to me with that I'd be a little freaked out. Okay, that's a lie, I'd be a lot freaked out."

"Can we drop this, now?" Kaitlin bit on her lower lip.

"Sure." Taylor shrugged before walking over and handing the baby over to Kaitlin who tensed up once she was holding the baby safely. "He's not going to break. Just relax." Taylor giggled.

"You'd think I would be used to this by now, I mean after having to help my mom with Colton when he was a baby." She glanced down at the little boy.

"You never get used to it. Believe me." Taylor smiled. "I'm going to out back, can you burp him and change his diaper for me?"

"Sure, I can do that."

-

Taylor glanced one last time over at Kaitlin before slipping out of the kitchen. She passed the back door to walk up the stairs. She wasn't sure which room Kaitlin had taken Julie into but she thought she'd give the guest room, now Kaitlin's room, a try. She found the door open slightly. She knocked on the door to only hear sobs coming from inside the room. Taylor opened the door wide to reveal a very distraught Julie Cooper-Atwood.

"Taylor?" The woman looked up at her. Taylor gave her a slight smile before walking into the room fully.

"Are you okay?" She whispered.

"I take it you know? I mean you obviously know since judging by this room Kaitlin's living with you now." Julie looked around with tears still sliding down her cheeks. "And then there's the fact you're adopting…" With that the woman started crying even more. "I promised myself after Marissa's death that I'd protect Kaitlin, but I didn't protect her at all."

"This isn't your fault, Julie. It's no one's fault but that terrible man that did this to Kaitlin. It's not that child's fault either." Taylor walked over and sat down on the bed next to Julie before taking her hand. She wasn't sure if she was doing too well at this reassuring thing. "She's scared; she really needs you right now."

"I know." Julie wiped at her eyes. "Thank you, Taylor."

"You don't have to thank me. Honestly we'd do anything for that girl. She's planted herself right into our lives and we couldn't see not helping her out." Taylor gave her another smile, this one much more genuine.

"You're going to adopt the baby?" Julie asked next.

"It's not all decided yet but we're seriously thinking about it."

"Part of me is happy about that but the other part of me can't help but think this child would be good for my daughter." Julie took a deep breath.

"One day when she's ready she'll start a family. That day will be good for her. Right now I honestly think this is a good decision on Kaitlin's part." Taylor told her truthfully.

"I have one request."

"And that is?"

"Can the child call me grandma?" She laughed through the remaining tears.

"Of course, I wouldn't have it any other way. I mean besides you're Ryan's step-mom." Taylor took her hand back before standing up. "In due time all this will work out. Right now I think you should go downstairs and support your daughter. She could use that right now." Taylor said before giving the woman a hug and leaving her in the room.

Julie stood up wiping the tears away from her eyes. As upset as she was she knew Taylor was right.


	20. Chapter 20

Sorry that i'm dragging Sophie's birthday out so much but I hope you guys are still reading this and thanks to those who are still reviewing. So if you are reading this can you maybe leave me a review? Thanks, guys.

* * *

Chapter 20

Something in Taylor made her want to see her baby. Something in her felt like she needed to hold him close and cherish every little detail about the boy. After leaving Julie alone, Taylor found herself walking towards Caden's nursery. She peeked in to see that Kaitlin had put the boy down in his crib. Taylor picked the small body up and held him close her heart.

Everyone wouldn't be arriving to the party for another two hours. She had time to spare with her son.

"No matter what you do I will always love and support you. You will always be perfect in my eyes." She whispered sitting down in the rocking chair that set next to his crib. He opened his eyes and stared up at his mother.

For the first time since he was born he gave his mother a smile.

It took everything in Taylor not to jump up from that chair and run to tell her husband. Then she realized she just wanted to sit there and enjoyed it alone.

"I'm going to tell you how I met your Daddy." She whispered to the baby with tears forming in her eyes. "I knew him in high school, the both of us were far too dumb to realize how amazing of a couple we would have made, even then. It wasn't until after things got insane for the both of us that we fell in love. You see Daddy's ex-girlfriend died tragically in a car wreck and Mommy married a Frenchman. I know you're probably thinking my mother is insane, well, Caden I am. I'm very insane but your Daddy says that's the best part of me. Anyway, we saved each other. Then the both of us went back to being dumb. I couldn't handle being without your father so after your aunt and uncle married, your daddy and I thought it was time for us to get married too. Then not long after that you were born. Amazing, huh? I think so."

Sure, it wasn't this large romantic story to tell but to her it was perfect, perfect because in the end she got exactly what she wanted. A family.

"You'll always be my baby, got it? Even when you're older and married with kids of your own." She held him close to her again. "I can't imagine not having you." She whispered to him.

A noise came from the door. She looked up and saw her husband leaning against the doorway. She gave him a smile watching him walk towards her.

"That was some story." He smiled leaning over to kiss her forehead.

"I thought so." She nodded. "He smiled at me."

"Are you sure, it might have just been gas." Ryan sounded jealous.

"No, it was a smile." Taylor giggled.

"Nope." He shook his head reaching his hand out for the baby to clutch his finger. "I don't believe you." He lowered his voice.

"Oh, is that so?" She cocked an eyebrow at him.

"It is." He nods. "Did Kaitlin talk to Julie?"

"Yeah, Julie's been crying but I went to talk to her. I think everything will be okay." Taylor nodded watching her husband squat down still keeping his finger in the baby's grasp.

"We're doing this, aren't we?" He glanced over at her. Taylor just nodded before turning her attention back to the baby. "You're amazing, you know that?" He reached up with his other hand to smooth her bangs out of her eyes.

"I had an idea." She smirked.

"I love you." He whispered.

"I love you too." She whispered back. "Now, where's Sophie? I'm sure she's extremely excited to be turning eight."

"She is, I was just coming in here to tell you she needs help with her hair." He said.

"Oh, okay. Can you rock him to sleep?" She stood up as Ryan took his hand away. She handed the tired boy to him.

"Sure."

-

"Sophie." Taylor knocked lightly on the little girl's door.

"Finally!" Sophie huffed running over and pulling on Taylor's hand to pull her towards her small vanity. "I need help with my hair. Ryan is no good at it."

"Sure." Taylor smiled sitting down on the bed pulling the girl between her legs taking the brush and pulling it through the straight blond hair. "How do you feel being eight?"

"Okay, I miss my Mommy and Daddy. Daddy used to wake me up on my birthday's tickling me and then Mommy would make me chocolate chip pancakes. We'd spend all day together and then they'd give me a party."

"They are here, you know that, right?" Taylor said softly. The little girl turned around to look at her sister-in-law.

"What do you mean?"

"In your heart. They are always there. Just because they aren't here in the flesh doesn't mean you can't have a good birthday."

"I just miss them." She shrugs.

"That's normal." Taylor nodded.

"Do you really think they are here?" The girl whispered nervously.

"I do."

"Thanks, Taylor." Sophie got up after Taylor was finished with her hair and hugged her tightly. "You're a great mom."

It took everything in Taylor to not cry in front of the birthday girl.


	21. Chapter 21

It was brought to my attention that I haven't really included Seth in Sophie's life or Taylor and Ryan's for that matter. I had completely looked over that and now I realize it. So I scrapped the chapter that I already had written for this and wrote this instead. The story is completely going to be taking a different turn now. I hope you guys are still reading...and I hope this did this story justice.

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Chapter 21

He wasn't sure why he ignored his young sister. Maybe it was jealously. Jealous of how his parents chose Ryan and Taylor over he and his wife. Or it was because he just missed his parents and looking at that little girl reminded him of them.

He didn't know.

He wasn't sure he'd ever know.

His wife always asked why Sophie never came by the house. She would tell him how she had two brothers not just one.

That still didn't seem to change his mind.

He wasn't sure anything would, not unless he let go of all of it. He knew there was no way for him to get closer to Sophie if he didn't let it go.

He needed to let it go, but he wasn't sure how to do that exactly.

"You okay?" Ryan nudged him startling him out of his thoughts.

"Yeah, where's Sophie?" He quickly asked. The other guy's face lit up surprised that Seth would ask about her. He hadn't shown interest in their sister since their parent's died.

"She should be upstairs with Taylor."

"Do you mind if I…" He pointed towards the backdoor that led into the house from the backyard.

"Go ahead, I can handle this."

"Thanks." He nods in a sort of daze.

He made his way past his daughter and wife in the kitchen to reach the stairs. He carefully walked up the stairs playing over in his mind how he'd handle this with Sophie.

He needed to make this right with her.

She needed to know she had more than just one brother. She had two.

"Seth?" She sounded surprised to see him standing in her room. He wasn't sure if he liked that surprise in his sisters voice.

"How are you doing today?" He walks in her room as Taylor walks past him to leave. He smiled at the woman as she gave him a nod.

"Good." Sophie nodded a little sadly before sitting down on her bed. The eight year old patted the spot next to her for her brother to sit down.

That made him smile.

He was about to express that when he heard sobs come from beside him.

He wasn't expecting that.

"Wait, what's wrong? Why are you crying?" He was panicking. He knew he shouldn't be panicking. He should know what to do. "Sophie."

"Why don't you love me anymore?" She looked up at him with tears.

He could have sworn his heart stopped seeing that sight.

"Why would you think I didn't love you anymore?"

"'Cause you never come see me or talk to me anymore."

"I…I'm sorry. I don't know what's wrong with me, Sophie." He had no idea what else to say to her.

"Is it my fault?"

"What?" He pulled her close to him.

"You being angry with me."

"I'm not angry with you, Sophie. I just…" He didn't know how to explain to her the things that were going through his mind since their parents died. "You look like mom." He told the eight year old.

"That's what Taylor says." She looks up at him with tears still evident on her cheeks.

"Taylor's right. Look, I'm going to be around more, okay?"

"Okay, promise?" She stuck out her pinky to him. He excitedly hooked his with hers.

-

"Sorry, for how I've been acting." Seth slumped his shoulders stuffing his hands in his pockets. Ryan glanced over at his brother.

"It happens, you're dealing with it in your own way. Maybe shutting all of us off is your way of dealing." Ryan hadn't meant to say that to his brother. Really, that was the last thing he felt he should have said in this situation. It just came out.

"You're right. I've never been like this…"

"I'm freaked out that I won't be a good enough parent to Sophie, or my son for that matter." Ryan confessed, once again his voice betrayed what his mind was telling him.

"I still don't know why they chose you."

"Me either." Ryan shrugged not upset that his brother was still hung up on that. He was their biological son after all. "She loves you, Seth. She asks us all the time why you don't come to the house anymore. She asked me if you were coming today, last night when I was putting her to bed."

"I haven't been that great of a big brother, have I? I should have been around more."

"You're here now, that's all that matters." Ryan told him as he sat down in a patio chair watching as his brother did the same.

He finally felt like he was getting his brother back since the death of the Cohen's.


	22. Chapter 22

Sorry for the short update. For some reason I just haven't been able to write this...maybe it's because I've been writing the sequal to Learn to love again even though I promised myself I wouldn't...I don't even know if i'll post it. Anyway, since this is so short I decided I'll write the next two chapters today and post them tonight.

Chapter 22

Sophie Rose Cohen shut her eyes, made her wish and blew out the yellow candles that set atop the pink and purple cake. Of course even at her young age she knew that her wish wouldn't come true.

She knew nothing would bring her parents back.

Even without her parents she had to admit that her day hadn't been that bad.

"Hey, sis." Seth's hand ruffled her blonde hair. She shooed his hand away before staring up at him and scowling. His face was set in a grin which made her grin back up at him. Having her brother around was almost like having her parent's there.

_Almost. _

_-_

Taylor watched as the little girl dug her fork into the sugary cake. She then glanced over at Kaitlin who was more playing with the cake rather then eating it.

"Kaitlin, are you okay?"

"Mom wants me to go stay with her and Frank." She didn't look up at Taylor. "I want to stay here."

"It's your choice, just let her in Kaitlin." Taylor reached her hand over and put his on Kaitlin's arm to offer to some sort of comfort.

"I told her I'd think about it." She shrugged still not looking up at Taylor. "Bullit say's he can find something for me in the Texas after the baby is born. He says I can stay at one of his houses until I'm on my feet. I think that's what I need to do. I know giving you and Ryan this baby is the best choice, but I really don't think I'll be able to stay around after…" She sighed finally looking up at Taylor.

"Honestly, Kaitlin. I think you should stick around for a little bit but you're no longer a child. This is all your choice and Ryan and I will both support you in whatever you choose."

"I know. I don't know yet. I'm still trying to wrap my head around getting fat." She let out a laugh leaning back in her chair.

"You should name the baby." Taylor blurted out.

"Really?" Kaitlin perked up a bit.

"Yeah, really." She nodded.

"Thanks, Taylor. God, without you and Ryan I really have no idea where I'd be right now. By the way your son is probably the most adorable baby I've ever laid eyes on." Kaitlin smiled wide before standing up.

"Ryan and I did a good job on him, huh?"

"Very." Kaitlin nodded before walking away from the table.

Taylor leaned forward as she rest her elbows on the table. She took a deep breath. Honestly everything was starting to weigh down on her. She was really trying to be strong.

She wished she had Kirsten to talk to. Kirsten would know what to do in all of this or at least offer Taylor some advice.

Life without the Cohen's was hard.

-

Ryan stuffed in hands in his pockets as he watched as the last guest left the house. He felt someone's arms wrap about his waist.

"Today was good." The person behind him whispered into his back.

"Honestly, it went better then I imagined." He sighed. "I think Seth's coming around." He turned around and brought his wife into his arms.

"About time." Taylor grinned before leaning her body into his.

"Let's get Sophie to bed." He said as he watched as the little girl stumbled into the kitchen half asleep.

"Good idea." Taylor laughed.

"Come on, Birthday girl." He leaned over and picked the eight year old up. He head instantly went to his shoulder. Her breath evened and Ryan knew she was already asleep.

"That was fast." Taylor whispered before they reached the stairs.

"She's had a long day."

They walked the rest of the way silently. Ryan switched her light on and set her down on the bed.

"I'll get her dressed." Taylor spoke up.

"Okay." He nodded leaning down and kissing the girls forehead. "Love you, Sophie." He whispered.

"Thanks, Ry." She opened her eyes slightly. "Love you too."


	23. Chapter 23

I barely know anything about baby's but the stuff i've watched on the health channel. I searched colic and it's very possible i've got my facts wrong, sorry for that.

* * *

Chapter 23

"Have I told you lately how much of an amazing husband you are." Taylor walked into their bedroom as Ryan pulled his shirt over his head. "And hott." She laughed walking over to him.

"You aren't so bad yourself." He smirked at her.

"Sophie's out, Caden's out and as far as I know Kaitlin's out too. Somehow I feel like we already have three kids." She sighed as her husband pulled her into his arms.

"It will be a matter of minutes before Caden wakes up." He reminded her.

"I know. God, Ryan. He's getting so big." She pouted. She wasn't ready for her son to get older. If it were up to her she would keep him an infant for forever.

"Soon enough we'll have another baby to take care of."

"Which is going to be insane. Caden won't even be a year old when the baby is born."

"Hopefully he'll be walking by then."

"I hope not. Chasing after a toddler AND trying to care for an infant…"

"It will be fun." He laughed. "I'm tired."

"Let's get to bed, it's been a very long day." She laughed at him before stepping away to get ready for bed.

-

Kaitlin couldn't sleep. She had far too many things running through her mind at that moment. She wasn't even sure she was going to be able to handle all of this.

Kaitlin sat up in her bed pulling her knees up to her chest. She wrapped her arms around her legs as she rested her chin on her knee. She thought of how it was going to be when she couldn't do that anymore.

She knew most women would adore the fact that they were carrying a baby.

But not Kaitlin.

Not this baby anyway but she knew that even through everything the baby deserved the chance she would give it. The chance Ryan and Taylor could give it.

She thought back to the second conversation she had with her mother that day. Julie had begged her to just think about things a little more before making these big decisions but Kaitlin had already made up her mind about everything.

She had talked to Bullit and he was willing to help her after she left California.

She couldn't stay.

There was just no way that was even possible.

Kaitlin then smiled at the thought of Taylor letting her name the baby. She knew this would forever bind her to the child even more than just birthing it but at least she would be able to do one thing for it.

-

Sophie heard a loud thud coming from her closet door. She instantly set up in bed before pulling back her covers and running as fast as she could out of the room.

She was always told to knock before entering a bedroom but she figured this was an emergency.

"Ryan!" She cried running to his and Taylor's bed before jumping in between the both of them without being invited.

"What's wrong?" He panicked.

"There's something in my closet." She whispered snuggling her body to a still sleeping Taylor. "Can I sleep here tonight?"

"Come on, Soph. There's nothing in your closet." He groaned pulling back his covers. He swung his legs over the edge of the bed before rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. Just as he was about to stand up he heard Caden's cries coming from the baby monitor. He groaned again before glancing at his wife and Sophie.

Sophie had her eyes shut tightly but even he could tell she was faking it. He decided against waking Taylor up.

"I'll be right back." He told the girl. She just grinned before pulling the covers over her face.

This wasn't the first time she had done this but it had been over two weeks since she had last jumped into their bed.

Ryan tiredly found his way through the dark house to the nursery. He switched the small lamp on before walking over to Caden who was wailing.

"Come on kid." He sighed reaching down and picking him up.

He bounced the baby trying to quiet him but nothing was working. He tried feeding him a bottle. He burped him. He changed him. Nothing was working. He was half hoping Taylor would hear the cries and come help him but it had been almost an hour since he had woken up.

He started to hope his son would just get worn out by all of the crying and fall asleep.

"Why is he still crying?" Taylor rushed into the room. He grinned at how she quickly took the baby from him. "I thought he'd stop." She rocked him. He was still crying loudly. "Come on, baby." She whispered running her hand over his head.

"I don't know what's wrong." Ryan shrugged sitting down in the rocking chair.

"Maybe he's sick or something. Maybe we should take him to the hospital." Taylor panicked holding him out at arms length to get a better look at him. "He's red, why is he so red?"

"Probably from all the crying. Maybe he's got colic." Ryan said. "I guess we could take him to the doctor in the morning."

"What's that?" Her eyes widened. Ryan just looked over at her. "I didn't read the baby books! I should have read the books. Ryan I'm a terrible mother I don't even know what's wrong with my kid!"

"Taylor, calm down. Lot's of baby get this." He tried.

"Not my baby." She shook her head.

"Here hand him over." Ryan reached for the baby but she slapped his hand away.

"No, I've got him you go back to bed." She said sternly before turning away from him.

"Sophie's in our bed." He whined.

"I put her back in her bed before I came in here, she's fine."

"Oh, okay. Thanks." He rubbed at the back of his neck. "But I think I'll just stay up with you."

"Get the baby books. Maybe they say something about this." She turned back towards him.

"Fine." He groaned.

"It's okay, baby boy." She whispered rubbing his back gently.

-

"He cried all night." Taylor slumped down in the kitchen chair bringing a cup of coffee up to her mouth. "The book said this could last for months." She groaned. "Usually it happens a few weeks after birth. I can't handle this for months." She said to Ryan. Ryan just rest his head on the table.

"We'll get through this."

"I sure hope you're right."


	24. Chapter 24

I thought this chapter was longer then it is. Sorry about that. I be sure to post soon to make up for that.

Chapter 24

"I lied, I want him to grow up. Like right now." This was the fourteenth night of this and she felt like it was never going to stop.

"No offence but I'm really glad I don't have to go through this." Kaitlin folded her arms over her chest as Taylor shot her a glare.

"Shut up or you're on Caden duty for the night." Taylor mumbled.

"No can do, Taylor. I am going out." Kaitlin smiled.

"Out as in where?" Taylor narrowed her eyes at the girl or rather woman.

"Don't worry, I'm having dinner with Mom and Frank. Mom wants to discuss my future."

"I thought you already told her what you were doing." Taylor said rubbing circles on her crying sons back.

"I did, but who am I to pass up a free meal?"

-

"I need sleep." Taylor stuck out her bottom lip upon entering her bedroom with her son in her arms. She had finally somehow gotten him to quiet down. Now she was going to take advantage of that and actually hold a conversation with her husband.

The past two weeks had been stressful for everyone in the house, especially Taylor.

"Me too." Ryan sat down on the bed motioning for his wife to come over. He took the baby from her and leaned back against the headboard. "You can sleep if you want." He looked at her and then over at her side of the bed.

"Maybe later, I'm hoping he'll sleep through the night." Taylor sighed crawling into the bed next to her husband.

"Where's Sophie?"

"She's in her room doing homework."

"Kaitlin?"

"Dinner with Frank and Julie."

"That should be interesting." He smiled at his wife. "You doing okay?"

"I think so. I just wish that Kirsten were here to talk to. She's been through this before, you know? It's not like I can ask my own mother about what to do in these sort of situations. Summer said Delaney never had colic so she has no clue what's going on." Taylor said gently placing her hand on the small baby's head.

"I figured we were doing pretty good." He laughed.

"Oh yeah, we're doing great." She rolled her eyes before snuggling more into Ryan's side.

"He looks like you." Ryan looked at the baby intently.

"When he was born he looked just like you, I still think he does." Taylor smiled as the blue eye boy looked around at his parents.

"Maybe a little." He laughed.

"Maybe it's those eyes."

-

"My mother is insane!" Kaitlin yelled walking into the front door. Taylor jumped up from the couch and into the foyer to quiet the girl. It had been two hours and her son was actually sleeping.

"He's sleeping, if you wake him up I am going to kill you."

"Sorry." Kaitlin shrugged putting her bag down and walking into the kitchen. Taylor followed her.

"Now why is your mother insane?"

"Well, for one she's telling me my future is ruined by everything, my choices mainly. I don't know what to do about her. God, I just want to get through these next few months and then forget all about this…" Kaitlin pulled a bottle of water out of the fridge.

"You really think you'll forget?"

"I hope so." She shrugged leaning her back against the counter.

"I think it's going to be harder then that, Kaitlin. After everything…" Taylor walked over and stood next to her leaning against the counter like Kaitlin.

"Yeah, well. I'll deal with that when it happens." The girl said dryly putting the water bottle on the counter and walking off.

"What's wrong with her?" Ryan walked into the kitchen just after Kaitlin left.

"I think something with her mom."

"Wouldn't be surprised." Ryan nodded.

"He's still sleeping?"

"Yeah, he sure is." Ryan grinned. "And Sophie took her bath and now she's fast asleep in bed." Ryan walked over and pulled Taylor into him by her waist.

-

"At first I didn't think we could do this, take Sophie in but now…" Ryan spoke up through the silent room. Taylor was almost asleep when he started speaking. "I like having her here." He smiled.

"I do too." She sighed closing her eyes again. Ryan rarely ever wanted to talk at night. He was usually fast asleep before his wife. Taylor wasn't sure what he was doing awake still. It was their first full night without Caden waking up and crying.

"Are you falling asleep on me?"

"Yes, I am. Caden's sleeping so I need to sleep."

"You don't want to talk?" Ryan said surprising Taylor.

"You want to talk?" She sat up and faced him.

"Maybe." He shrugged.

"This is like a historical moment, Ry! You never want to talk." She suddenly felt awake. He just looked down at his hands.

"I think you're rubbing off on me." He narrowed his eyes before giving her a bright smile.

"So, what are we going to talk about?" She said laying her head on his chest. She liked to feel the rise and fall of his chest at night. It some how comforted her.


	25. Chapter 25

Today is one of those days that make me wish I wasn't a girl. Anyway, I'm not even sure what this chapter has to do with the rest of this story but it just came out...

Chapter 25

"Is there any possible way today could get any worse?" Taylor grumbled plopping back onto the chair with her arms crossed over her chest.

"What do you mean?" Ryan asked before bringing his coffee mug up to his lips.

"I mean I've had to change like five times. Sophie's whining about some boy in her class picking on her. Caden's crying and Kaitlin's upstairs crying over nothing."

"Uh-huh, you act like this doesn't happen every morning."

"True but it seems today is even worse then all of the other days." She huffed at him wanting him to give her some sort of sympathy.

"If you want I'll go and talk to Sophie."

"I handled that just like I do every other day." She looked at him sternly.

"What's that supposed to mean?" He asked pulling at his tie nervously.

"You are usually out of this house before I even wake up in the mornings. I'm even surprised you haven't left yet. Plus, you haven't come home before eleven in two month's, Ryan." Taylor didn't look at her husband as she spoke, instead she picked at the skin around her fingernails.

"Things at work are just a little hectic right now." He said leaning his weight against the counter.

"Yeah, well if you were home then you'd know that things around here are a little hectic too." She said still not looking over at him.

"I'll be home by seven tonight, I've got to get to work." He said walking over to her hoping she'd look at him. She didn't. He took a deep breath before leaning over and trying to catch her lips but instead she turned her head so he caught her cheek.

"I won't count on it." She yelled after him as he walked away upset.

-

"Could you pick me up some of those chocolate cupcakes from the bakery that I like." Kaitlin said walking into Taylor and Ryan's bedroom.

"Why can't you go get them?" Taylor snapped walking out of her walk in closet to see Kaitlin's face drop.

"I'm four month's pregnant, Taylor. Shouldn't you be a little nicer to me?" Kaitlin put her hands on her hips scowling at Taylor.

"I have to get to work. Why don't you take Sophie to school and then get your cupcakes."

"I want them later, not now."

"God, Kaitlin! I can't take this right now so please just go away." Taylor threw her hands up in the air.

"Fine!" Kaitlin yelled back not sure what else she could yell at Taylor about. Just as Kaitlin was about to leave Sophie walked in. "We're leaving." She said keeping her tone cold.

"I want Taylor to take me to school." Sophie pouted.

"Look Sophie, just finish getting dressed. We'll figure this out." Taylor put her hand on her forehead. Sophie didn't move. "Please, Sophie." She almost begged.

-

"Taylor, do I have to go to school today?" Sophie asked walking behind Taylor on the way to the car.

"Yes you do." Taylor opened the back door of the car so Sophie could get in.

"But…" Sophie tried.

"Sophie, just ignore him. He only picks on you because he likes you."

"Why would he do that?"

"Because he's a boy and that's what boys do." She shrugged before shutting the door and walking around to the driver's seat.

"Does Ryan pick on you?" Sophie questioned.

"Well, no but…"

"Ryan likes you so why doesn't be pick on you, if that's what boys do. Ryan's a boy." Sophie interrupted.

Taylor wasn't sure how to answer her question.

"I'm sure when Ryan was a little boy he picked on girls, but he's older now…" She said backing her car out of the driveway.

"Oh, so only little boys pick on girls?"

"Something like that."

"I see…" Sophie nodded finished with her questions.

-

"You're late." Taylor met Ryan at the front door two hours after he told her he was going to be home.

"Don't do this." He tried to walk past her but she blocked him.

"Did Sophie's school call you?"

"No, why? What happened?" He ran his hand over his face.

"Well, she ended up kissing that boy who's been picking on her."

"Why would she do that?" He asked her.

"I don't know, Ryan! I had to pick her up early. Apparently she ended up pushing him down when he started laughing after she kissed him."

"She's too young to kiss a boy." He put his hands on his hips just wanting to eat and go to bed. He wasn't in the mood for this right now.

"Well, obviously!" Her voice raised.

"I'll talk to her…" He put his hands on her shoulders. Taylor just shook her head.

"I handled it."

"Oh, well what do you want me to do then?"

"I want you to give Caden a bath then put him to bed. Sophie and I are going over to Seth and Summer's."

"Oh, do you want me to go with you guys?"

"Your dinner is in the microwave."

"Thanks." He sighed leaning over and kissing her on the forehead.


	26. Chapter 26

I am in a surprisingly good mood tonight; which is why you get a suprisingly un-angsty chapter. I hope there are still people out there reading this. If you are still reading I would greatly appreciate a review, but if not then that's fine. I don't plan to stop writing any of my stories just because I'm not getting reviews. As long as I know people are reading, then it doesn't matter. But reviews do help. And thank you to those who are still reviewing. I greatly appreciate that.

Chapter 26

"Are you asleep?" Taylor asked turning on her side in the dark bedroom.

"Not yet." Her husband says keeping his eyes on the ceiling he was staring at. He had already been in bed when she got home from his brother's house.

"Oh, well do you want to talk?" She asks like they hadn't had an argument earlier.

"I thought you were angry with me." He says still not looking over at her.

"I just miss you around the house." She sighs scooting a little towards him. She wanted to feel his body against hers but she had felt too bad about her previous behavior. She knew things were hard on Ryan. There had been so many changes around their house, with Sophie and Kaitlin moving in. Even having Caden was getting to him. "And I'm sorry, very sorry." She says scooting closer to him now.

"Don't worry about it." He says still keeping his eyes glued to the ceiling.

Taylor had enough of him not looking at her. She made a bold move and positioned herself so she was now straddling her husband.

"Now you look at me." She smirks staring into his blue eyes.

"Kind of hard not to when you're sitting on me like that." He says trying to hold back a groan.

"Am I still sexy to you?" She asks suddenly. Ryan gives his wife a strange look before placing his hands on her hips.

"Of course I do, Taylor. I was just thinking a minute ago." He tells her. "We're about to have another kid around here and that's why I've been working more. I mean I don't know if we'll be able to afford it."

"Sure, money will be a little tight once Kaitlin's baby is born but we still have so long to worry about that." She tells him leaning down and kissing his bare chest.

"Five months." He closes his eyes.

"See, a long time." She grins looking up at him. "Now, are you really going to talk about this right now?"

"No." He shakes his head before flipping them both over so he was hovering over Taylor. "No more talking."

"I like that idea." She giggles before he places a finger over her lips quieting her.

-

"I need coffee." Kaitlin exclaims entering the kitchen the next morning. Taylor raises an eyebrow at the girl hoping that she knew coffee was completely out of the question.

Kaitlin ignored the look on Taylor's face and poured the dark liquid into a mug. She was about to bring it up to her lips when she felt the cup being snatched from her hands.

"Are you stupid?" Taylor shrieked. "Coffee's bad for the baby." She tells a now pouting Kaitlin.

"But it just smells so good."

"Don't care. How about some decaf." Taylor tried but Kaitlin shook her head.

"Not the same." Kaitlin told her and then turned her attention towards the kitchen table where Ryan was chuckling at the two lightly. "And what exactly are you laughing about?"

"Nothing." He shakes his head.

"Whatever. Wait, what are you doing here? It's almost 8 o'clock." Kaitlin says remembering that Ryan usually left early for work in the mornings.

"Just slept in a little." He says turning his attention back to the morning paper.

"Oh God, you two made up didn't you? That is so gross!" She wrinkles her nose as Ryan and Taylor both choke on their coffee.

"That is none of your business." Taylor tells her.

"Fine, by the way I'm going over to my mom's tonight. She wants me to watch Colton while she goes out with Frank. I'll probably just stay over there tonight."

"Alright." Taylor nods happy that Kaitlin didn't keep on the previous subject.

"Shouldn't you two get going? You're going to be late for work, and Sophie's going to be late for school." Kaitlin reminds them both.

"You're right, we should get going."

"Hurry so I can invite totally random people over. I'm missing my partying days."

"I hope you're joking."

"You never know." Kaitlin grins ready for them to leave already. She wanted to lounge on the sofa and indulge herself in chocolate all day. While keeping an eye on Caden of course.

"I'll take Sophie to school, it's on my way to the office." Ryan tells Taylor once they exit the kitchen.

"Thank you." She smiles. "And you know today is Friday, right?"

"Of course." He nods unsure of why that matters.

"Seth picks Sophie up from school on Friday's and she spends the weekend with them. And with Kaitlin staying over at Julie and Franks…we pretty much have the house to ourselves." She steps close to him to wrap her arms around his waist.

"We still have Caden." He reminds her.

"Who will hopefully be sleeping later. Last night just reminded me that I miss you, in more ways then just one."

"I'll be home early." He gulps.

"Perfect." She reaches up and kisses him square on the lips. "See you tonight."

-

"Hey, Sophie." Summer grins seeing her husbands little sister enter her house. Sophie's got this goofy grin on her face and Summer instantly knows that the two of them are up to something.

"Hi!" Sophie giggles. Now Summer definitely knows something is up.

"Where's Seth?" She asks noticing Seth didn't follow Sophie in the house.

"He's outside, but he said for you to stay in here. He has a surprise for you." Sophie's goofy grin is now a toothy one.

"A surprise?"

"Yupp, where's Delaney?" Sophie bounces.

"He gave you sugar didn't he?" Summer groaned.

"Of course not, Summer!" Sophie lied through her teeth.

"You know if you eat all of that sugar your teeth are going to rot." Summer crosses her arms.

"They are going to all fall out anyway." Sophie rolled her eyes itching to find her little niece.

"Delaney's upstairs in her bedroom. She should be up from her nap by now." Summer said knowing she wouldn't get through to Sophie.

Once Sophie was out of the room Summer took to tapping her foot. She was getting impatient, and a little worried that she wasn't going to like the surprise her husband was going to have for her.

"Now don't get mad." Seth has the door barely open.

"Oh God." Summer said really worried now. She could tell that her husband hadn't opened the front door fully because he was hiding something behind it. Then she heard a bark. "Please tell me that is not a dog, Seth." She closed her eyes.

"I saw her on the side of the street, I couldn't just let someone hit her." He said opening the door to reveal a golden retriever.

"Take it to the pound!" Summer quickly said not wanting that dog to step a paw into her house.

"If I can't find her owner, I was thinking we could keep her." Seth ignored Summer's demand.

"No, we can't keep her! We don't need a dog, Seth." She lowers her voice a little hoping he will give in and take the dog away from their house.

"If you don't keep her, can I ask Ryan if we can keep her?" Sophie suddenly runs down the stairs after hearing their conversation.

"I don't think that's a good idea, sweetie." Summer looks back at her.

"It wouldn't hurt to ask." She shrugs walking over to the dog and patting her on the head. The dog then starts to lick Sophie on her face making the eight year old giggle. "I think she likes me."

Seeing that sight Summer knew that Sophie was right, it wouldn't hurt to ask Ryan. Just as long as that dog didn't stay at her house.


	27. Chapter 27

_short and sweet._

Chapter 27

"Shit, that's cold!" Kaitlin yelled at the ultrasound technician. The lady just ducked her head from the twenty-three year old.

"Sorry, should have warned you." The lady said not wanting to upset the pregnant girl. She had done this plenty of times to know to not piss off someone who was pregnant.

"You'd think!" Kaitlin snapped.

"Calm down." Taylor rolled her eyes crossing one of her legs over the other as she sat in the chair next to the table Kaitlin was on. "You'll get over it."

"Whatever." Kaitlin folded her arms over her chest as best as she possibly could. "Let's just get this over with."

"There's your baby right there." The technician pointed to something blurry on the small screen.

"Not my baby." Kaitlin mumbled refusing to turn her face towards the screen. She could already hear the heartbeat there was no way she'd look at the thing.

"Oh my." Taylor gasped grinning and taking Kaitlin's hand in hers. "Just look, Kaitlin."

"Can you tell me what it is?" Kaitlin asked ignoring Taylor's urge to look at the baby.

"Well, right there shows this is a boy." The technician grinned at Taylor picking up that Kaitlin wasn't going to keep the baby.

"Really?" Kaitlin whipped her head around and caught sight of the baby. She gasped and she was lost.

Lost because she realized that was her baby.

"My baby." She spoke out loud causing both of the other women in the room to give her strange looks. "That's my baby!" She practically jumped at Taylor grinning widely. Taylor nodded with the same grin on her face.

"It's always been yours." Taylor whispered squeezing lightly on Kaitlin's hand.

No one had ever witnessed this side of Kaitlin. The side that actually wanted to keep her growing baby. The side that couldn't see doing anything else in her life without it.

That wasn't the rational side of her. She didn't feel she deserved to keep that baby. She thought that he'd have a better life with Ryan and Taylor.

But in that moment Kaitlin Cooper decided she wasn't giving them her baby.

He was all hers.

---

"I'm so sorry, Taylor." Kaitlin gushed as soon as they got into Taylor's car.

"You have nothing to be sorry about, Kaitlin." She shook her head and started the car.

"I just saw him and I knew I couldn't…I couldn't give him up." Kaitlin put her hand lovingly on her stomach. The first time she had actually been happy to be pregnant.

She loved the little boy inside of her no matter how he was conceived.

"Honestly, Kaitlin I was hoping that you would."

"I thought…"

"We agreed to take him because we thought it was what you wanted. We would have loved him as he were our own, you know that." Taylor pulled out into traffic.

"Yeah, I do." She sighed. "God, how do I explain this to Julie?"

"I'm sure she'll be happy."

"I hope so." Kaitlin nodded and then grinned remembering Sophie's request to keep a stray dog. "So, what's the verdict on keeping Molly?"

"Oh God, please tell me you did not name that smelly dog!"

"We did." Kaitlin smiled. Taylor looked over at her and realized that she hadn't seen Kaitlin this happy since she moved in with them four months ago.

"Ryan told Sophie that it depends on if her owner shows up or not. He also told her that while they are looking for said owner Sophie could care for the dog, but if they can't find the owner then if Sophie did a good job in taking care of her then she could keep her. Ryan just couldn't tell her no." Taylor explained to Kaitlin.

"He can't say no to anyone." Kaitlin mumbled.

"You're right." Taylor agreed greatly with that statement. Saying no was something her husband seemed to have trouble with lately. Or rather ever.

---

"So she's keeping the baby?" Ryan raised an eyebrow slipping underneath the covers of his bed.

"That's what she says." Taylor sighs sliding in next to him.

"Has she really thought about this? A baby is a big thing." He wrapped an arm around his wife.

"I don't know, Ry. You'll have to talk to her about that. All I know is she saw him on the screen and fell in love with him. I can relate. The second I saw Caden and then heard his heartbeat…that was all she wrote." She snuggled closer to his body.

"I'm just worried."

"You were just saying the other night you were worried that we wouldn't be able to afford another baby, now you're worried she can't handle it?"

"Well, it's Kaitlin and she doesn't have the best track record…"

"And she's also never had a child, they change people. Most for the better. I think she'll do just fine." She tells him confidently.

"Maybe you're right."

"Besides she'll always have us to fall back on."

"True." Ryan kissed the top of her head.


	28. Chapter 28

Hmm; so i'm writing a Twilight story so i just had to include that in this. :) Review!

Chapter 28

"Josiah?" Taylor's eyes widened at the names on Kaitlin's list. "I liked Addison."

"Hey, that's mine." Kaitlin scowled not wanting Taylor to look at the possible names of her son.

"I shared Caden's name with you months before he was born." Taylor reminded her returning her gaze to the paper. "Julian. After your Mom?" Her eyebrow raised.

"Mom suggested it and I sort of liked it." Kaitlin shrugged before turning towards the fridge and looking through it. She couldn't decide what she was exactly craving but she was sure that something in there would spark her interest.

"Oh, I love this name!" Taylor exclaimed. Kaitlin shut the fridge door with pickles and strawberry jelly in her hands.

"Which one?" She looked over Taylor's shoulder.

"Edward Anthony." Taylor laughed.

"You're a _Twilight_ fan too?" Kaitlin raised an eyebrow again walking a little ways to stand next to Taylor.

"Sadly." Taylor let out another laugh. She had read the series while she was on maternity leave. She had nothing more to do with her time. Well, besides getting ready for her son.

"Me too, I just put the name on there for laughs."

"How about Tyler? Or you know Taylor could work?" Taylor grinned looking at Kaitlin. Kaitlin just rolled her eyes letting out a laugh..

"His middle name will be Ryan." She told Taylor as she dipped a pickle into the jelly. Taylor scrunched up her nose at what she was eating.

"Tyler Ryan Cooper is adorable."

"You might be right. Addison and Julian are high on the list. Add Tyler to the top." Kaitlin said grabbing a pen and handing it over to Taylor. Taylor took the pen and scratched out all of the other names on the list. She wrote Tyler at the top with large letters and in capital's. That made Kaitlin roll her eyes again.

"Tyler." Kaitlin placed her hand on her stomach and felt her son kick her. She grinned at Taylor. "I think he likes it."

"Yay!" Taylor clapped and then placed her hands on Kaitlin's six month round belly. "Kaitlin," Taylor turned towards the twenty three year old. Kaitlin looked up at her.

"Yeah?"

"Where will you be living once he is born?"

"Bullits going to help me get an apartment around here. Close to you and Ryan." She smiled.

"That's good." Taylor nodded.

"Mom's still trying to get me to move in with her but there will only be one room for me and the baby."

"I can see why you want a place of your own, honestly."

"I never thought I'd be this excited about moving out on my own with a baby." She put her hands on the bottom of her stomach as if she was holding her baby in.

"It's an exciting thing."

"I see that now."

---

"Come on, Ryan. You know you want to." Taylor gave her husband a large grin before sitting on his lap. She was off of work for the day and decided to visit Ryan since Kaitlin would be home when Sophie got off the bus. "We used to do this all the time." She whispered into his ear.

"Before I became head of the company." He said almost breathless. He still couldn't resist Taylor after all these years. She was a very sexual being.

Taylor grinded her hips into him. He let out a throaty groan leaning his head back in the chair.

"We really can't do this, Taylor." He said before attacking her lips. He knew it'd be wrong but there was no way he was going to say no to his very willing wife. They didn't have much time together with all of the two kids and Kaitlin around.

"We already are." She giggled starting to unbutton his shirt.

"What if my assistant comes in?"

"I locked the door."

"What about…"

"Ryan, please just shut up and kiss me." She pulled his shirt off fully and reached to take her own. Ryan was quicker then she was as he already had her shirt half way up. Her bra was next.

There was no way either of them would be able to stop now.

-----

"You're lucky I love you so much." Ryan crawled up his wife's body that night. She grinned knowing that he wanted another round of what happened at the office earlier in the day.

"I am." She smiled pulling on his tie to get him closer.

"You're also lucky I'm going to get you back for earlier."

"And how will you do that, Mr. Atwood?" She giggled.

"By doing this." He pushed her back on the bed and for the second time that day he attacked her lips. He missed this feeling with her. He missed how they used to be before Caden and before the Cohen's died. He felt like he finally had his old life back plus a kid and minus the Cohen's.

He still missed them. Every day, every minute and sometimes every second. He hoped he could do the best job in raising his kids as they had in raising Seth and then taking him in when he was a teenager.

----

"Ryan! Hurry!" Taylor yelled through their house excitedly. She watched as her son sat up on his own. She couldn't believe how big he had gotten in the last few months.

"What, what's wrong?" Ryan rushed into the room as if the house had caught on fire.

"Caden's sitting up." She grinned widely. Ryan let out a breath he had been holding before he gave his wife a grin.

He had himself prepared for something terrible to happen since lately his life had been void of bad things.

"He sure is." He walked over and sat down next to Taylor. He reached for his son and Caden gave him a big smile. He was already teething so it seemed as his drool was never ending.

"Hey, buddy." He held him close.

"I'm scared he's going to grow up and not need me like he does now." Taylor frowned getting closer to her husband.

"He'll always need you." Ryan kissed the top of her head.

"If only you were right."

"Uhm, we've never really talked about having more kids. I mean Kaitlin came to us so quickly after Caden was born…" He sounded nervous.

"I want him to be at least four before we have another." Taylor tells him.

"Sounds good to me." Ryan smiled patting Caden on the back.

"Me too, by then Sophie will be twelve." She says. "But, accidents happen…after all we wouldn't have our baby if they didn't."

"Let's try to keep accidents down. I love this kid but you're right about the four year thing." He says shifting Caden to his other arm so he could wrap the other around Taylor.

"Ryan." Sophie whined from the door way of the living room. Both Taylor and Ryan looked at Sophie. Even Caden turned his head to see his aunt. He held out his little arms and started gurgling for her to take him. Sophie smiled and walked over to her family. She sat down in front of them as Ryan handed Caden over to her.

"My Mommy would have loved you." She giggled as Caden placed a sloppy wet kiss on her cheek. "Daddy too."


	29. Chapter 29

It's been awhile but i'm not dead.

Chapter 29

Kaitlin decided to go to her next doctor's appointment alone. It'd been five weeks since she found out what she was having and she couldn't be happier to know she was having a little boy. She saw this as a new adventure even if she had started out not wanting her baby. She knew she'd never feel that way again.

Kaitlin couldn't wait to hold her son in her arms for the first time. She couldn't wait to have that unconditional love that he would bring to her.

Kaitlin nervously sat there on the exam table. Her regular gynecologist wasn't there so she had a fill in. She had just gotten used to the other lady, she wasn't sure that she'd like this lady.

The door opened and Kaitlin realized that the fill in doctor was no woman.

In fact the person standing in front of her was possibly the most gorgeous man Kaitlin had seen in her twenty-three years of living. He was even more gorgeous then the guys she had been around in New York.

His blonde hair and those green eyes made her swoon right there on the table. She was pretty sure those pregnancy hormones were taking over in that second. Especially when he gave her a smile. She tried to calm herself. She wasn't this type of girl. She didn't let guys have this kind of affect on her.

"You must be Kaitlin Cooper, I am Doctor Michaels but you can call me Nathan. I'll be filling in for your regular doctor for the next few weeks." He smiled extending his hand out to Kaitlin. Kaitlin shook his hand excitedly trying to calm herself down from jumping this stranger. She wasn't even sure how she was able to trust this man after what happened to her. Kaitlin quickly took her hand back and frowned at Nathan.

"So, you're twenty-five weeks along?" He sat down on a stool across from her. He pulled it so he was closer to her. Kaitlin just nodded knowing her voice wouldn't obey her. "Experiencing anything different lately?" He asked her. Kaitlin just shook her head. Nathan flashed her another smile as he scribbled something in the folder he was holding. "Alright, let's listen to your baby's heartbeat." He stood up. Kaitlin shivered not sure if she wanted him to touch her again.

She was beyond nervous as he lifted up her shirt.

She only relaxed when she heard her baby boys heartbeat. She sighed loving the sound it was making. It calmed her down more then she thought it would.

Kaitlin knew she was changing, and she owed it all to her son. She smiled up at Nathan. She took in his eyes as he listened to the heartbeat with her.

"Everything seems just fine." He pulled back after another minute. "You're having a boy?" He asked her writing something down in the folder again.

"Yeah." Kaitlin finally spoke sitting up.

"I bet the father is excited." He glanced up at Kaitlin.

"There's no father." She spoke quickly looking away from him. "Or at least I don't know who he is." Nathan raised an eyebrow at her. Kaitlin wasn't sure if she wanted to tell this stranger why she didn't know who the father was.

"So, you're single?" He asked next. Kaitlin widened her eyes. She couldn't believe what he was asking her.

"Yes." She nodded. She wanted so badly to flirt with him but she was too scared to do that.

"This might seem inappropriate since we just met, not to mention I'm your doctor, but I was wondering if you'd like to go on a date with me?" He asked her nervously.

She just looked at Nathan unsure of what to say. She wanted to say yes but she also knew that she had her son to think of. The guy in front of her had to be out of his mind to ask a woman out on a date when she was almost seven months pregnant.

"I'm sorry, Dr. Michael's but I don't think I can accept." She choked out. That wasn't what she wanted her answer to be but she had a kid to think about now. She had to put him first. Kaitlin knew she had to change her ways and going on a date with this guy couldn't be part of that change.

"Well, if you change your mind." He tore off a piece of paper and wrote down his number. Kaitlin stuck the number in her purse knowing she wouldn't call him, but it didn't hurt to save the number.

* * *

"How was your doctor's appointment?" Taylor asked when Kaitlin walked into the kitchen with a big smile on her face.

"Great, I've got a hot fill in OBGYN." She shared. "He's cute." Taylor raised an eyebrow at the girl as she bounced Caden on her hip. "And he asked me on a date."

"Your answer was?" Taylor pressed. She wanted to know if Kaitlin said yes to the guy. Taylor felt that maybe a relationship would be good for Kaitlin. Of course Taylor would have to approve of the guy. She wouldn't let Kaitlin go out with a complete tool.

"No." Kaitlin shrugged like it was no big deal. Taylor opened her mouth to say something but quickly closed it not sure what to say to Kaitlin. "I just want to focus on having this baby, I don't need a guy in my life."

"I never thought I'd hear you say that, Kaitlin."

"How am I even supposed to trust a guy after what happened in New York? Taylor, I was raped there's no way I can trust another guy besides my baby." Kaitlin rest her hand on her stomach. Kaitlin told Taylor she was going to take a shower leaving Taylor in the kitchen alone with her Caden.

Taylor popped a bottle into her sons mouth and smoothed back his light hair. Caden drank the bottle happily as his mother held him. She walked out of the kitchen and up the stairs to Caden's room. She knew he'd be asleep in no time, well at least that's what she was hoping for. She wanted to start dinner before Ryan got home with Sophie.

After Caden had fallen asleep Taylor put him in his crib and left his nursery.

She hadn't even heard the front door open but once she reached the kitchen both Ryan and Sophie were in there. Sophie was already set up at the table doing her homework. Ryan was digging through the fridge.

"Hey." Taylor walked over and kissed the top of Sophie's head. Sophie looked up and smiled at her. "How was school?"

"Good. I got an A on my spelling test." The eight year old smile holding up the A paper.

"That's great, Soph." She hugged the little girl then looked up at her husband who was now standing with his hands on the center island. "And how was your day?" She asked him after releasing Sophie. She walked over and stood next to him.

"Tiring." He sighed. "How was yours?"

"Good, I came home early from work since Kaitlin had a doctor's appointment."

"How's she doing?" He asked taking a sip of water.

"I guess she's doing okay."

"Oh, Julie stopped by the office today. She wants me to talk Kaitlin into moving in with her and Frank. I told her I'd try but it probably wouldn't do much to change her mind."

* * *

Summer walked into Ryan and Taylor's house after dinner. Delaney was on her hip and Seth was following close behind her. Molly barked and ran up towards them from the back of the house. Summer frowned at the dog.

"I take it you're keeping that thing?" She asked Taylor when Taylor met her at the front door.

"She makes Sophie happy." Taylor shrugged. They hadn't been able to find Molly's owner so Ryan told Sophie if she took care of Molly then they would keep her. Taylor hadn't really wanted the dog in her home but she saw Sophie's smile and that was enough to convince her to let Sophie keep the dog. "What are you guys doing here?"

"Seth wanted to talk to Ryan about something." Summer shrugged. Seth waved to Taylor then walked past them to find Ryan. Taylor yelled after him telling him Ryan was in the study.

"What's going on?" Taylor folded her arms across her chest.

"I don't know really, Seth just randomly said he needed to talk to Ryan." Summer said walking into the living room. She sat Delaney on the floor. Sophie ran down the stairs and smiled when she saw her sister-in-law and niece.

"Hey, Summer." She gave her a toothy grin before walking over and sitting next to Delaney on the floor.

* * *

"So, what's going on?" Ryan asked after his brother set down on the sofa. Seth was acting strange and fidgety, more so then usual.

"I did a bad thing, Ryan. A very bad thing." Seth rushed out.

"What kind of bad thing?" Ryan eyed Seth. Seth just shook his head. "Seth, what's going on?"

"Ryan, I think I cheated on Summer." Seth blurted out. Ryan raised an eyebrow at Seth.

"You think?"

"I have this new secretary, Ryan she kissed me but I didn't kiss her back. I cheated on my wife, she's going to kill me." He put his head in his hand. Ryan wasn't sure what to tell him.

"You have to tell her." Ryan finally told him.

"I can't, there's no way I can tell her!" Seth exclaimed. "She'll divorce me and take Delaney and I'll be alone for the rest of my life! Ryan I can't tell her!"

"Just tell her the truth Seth, she'll understand." Ryan tried.

"This is Summer we are talking about, Ryan. Summer will not understand! Taylor might understand but not Summer."


End file.
